Three's company, four's a crowd?
by matureskinsfan
Summary: This is my version of what the first few episodes of series 4 could be like. All of the characters will feature at some point in the story but the main focus will be on Naomi and Emily. Please review whether you like it or not!
1. Chapter 2

The two girls eventually dragged themselves out of bed with great reluctance and hastily threw on a few random clothes. It seemed as if Emily had almost half her entire wardrobe round at Naomi's nowadays, so often did she stay overnight there.

Naomi's bedroom was gradually taking on the appearance of a small fashion boutique and the room was frequently full to overflowing with every conceivable item of clothing you would expect a couple of young teenage girls to possess.

They climbed over and around piles of stuff that had just been dumped carelessly around the room and made their way into the relative order and calmness of the kitchen where Naomi's mother was already sitting drinking tea and reading a magazine.

'Hi, Mum', said Naomi rather disappointed to see her sitting there. She had been hoping to avoid her this morning as she had a vague memory of arriving home fairly drunk with Emily the night before to find her Mum still up. She couldn't recall precisely what was said between the three of them but she had a feeling she would rather not have a conversation about it all over again this morning.

'Morning, love', said her Mum, turning towards the two girls with a big smile on her face. 'Hi, Emily'. Emily returned the warm greeting Naomi's Mum gave her with an equally genuinely warm smile.

Emily really liked Naomi's Mum and she was well aware that Naomi was somewhat bewildered and strangely embarrassed by their already close relationship. Mrs Campbell was so different from her own Mum, she thought. She was so laid back and relaxed, so warm and friendly. Emily had found her easy to talk to about anything and everything from their very first meeting whereas Naomi had always found it a real struggle to talk to her Mum.

'Why do you get on with her so well?' Naomi asked Emily the other day with a look of complete disbelief etched on her face. 'She's such an embarrassment!'

'No she isn't! She's lovely. I wish my Mum was as easy as her to talk to! You don't know how lucky you are. She never pokes her nose into your business; she just lets you get on with your life without interfering or passing judgement on everything you do.'

'What on earth do the two of you talk about?' Naomi pressed Emily further, with a clearly discernible hint of bewilderment and anxiety in her voice.

'Nothing! Just… silly stuff, ordinary things, you know. Nothing important. Why, what do you think I've being talking to her about -you and me?' '

Well, have you?' '

No! Of course I haven't!!'

'Are you two feeling OK?' her Mum asked, as Naomi poured out a cup of tea for herself and Emily. 'You seemed a bit out of it when you came home last night. You must have had a good time.' Emily immediately started grinning broadly at Naomi's Mum whose eyes betrayed a mischievous twinkle as she was asking the question.

'Fine', replied Naomi tersely. She really didn't want to go down that road if she could possibly help it and so she desperately tried to change the subject. 'Where's Kieran?

'He's over at his place picking up a few bits and pieces to bring over here', Naomi's Mum said.

'Why? He's not moving in with us, is he?' Naomi's voice carried a heavy note of accusation and incredulity as she stared at her Mum, her mouth wide open.

'No, love. Of course not. I wouldn't do anything like that without asking you first! It's your house as well, you know'.

'That didn't seem to matter when we were the local branch of the South-West Hippy Community!' said Naomi, scarcely bothering to keep the heavy sarcasm out of her voice.

'Well, that was a while ago. I was going through a bit of an odd phase then. Things are different now that I've got someone in my life again'. Besides, the house would be a bit crowded if he did move in, wouldn't it? Think about it- the four of us with all of our stuff! Where would we put it all?'

Emily couldn't stop herself sniggering uncontrollably, as hard as she tried to hide it by putting her hands over her mouth to muffle her laughter. Naomi turned round to glare at her but Emily was by now too far gone and Naomi's Mum joined in with Emily, much to Naomi's increasing exasperation and embarrassment.

'What the fuck are you on about?' Naomi was starting to believe that Emily must have told her Mum about their relationship. What else could all those cryptic comments about the four of them living in the same house mean?'

'Nothing, dear. I'm just teasing you, that's all. Everything's wonderful.'

'Yeah, come on, Naomi, lighten up' said Emily smiling at her girlfriend sweetly as she realised that the blonde girl was feeling more than a bit uncomfortable and vulnerable at that moment. Naomi may have long since taken the brave step of declaring her love for Emily in front of the whole school but her Mum was quite a different proposition. Clearly Naomi wasn't yet ready to come clean with her Mum about how much more than 'just good friends' the two of them had become in the last few months. Nonetheless, Emily couldn't shake off the thought that Naomi's Mum was no fool and probably knew a hell of a lot more than Naomi thought she did.

The awkward silent atmosphere between the three of them that was so palpable you could almost touch it was suddenly and mercifully broken by the loud ring tone of a mobile phone. Naomi reached out to pick up her phone which was lying on the breakfast table and put it to her ear, after glancing quickly to see who it was..

'Hi. What's up?' Naomi listened in silence for a few moments and then said 'OK, we'll be over in few minutes' and turned the phone off.

'Come on', she said to Emily, the previous irritation in her voice having given way to a hint of interest and anticipation.

'Who was it? What's happening?' Emily asked, curious and intrigued at the sudden change in Naomi's mood.

'No time to waste. There's a crisis and we're needed. We've gotta go now. I'll tell you on the way', smiled Naomi mysteriously to her girlfriend. 'Bye, Mum.'

'Bye you two, see you later?' Naomi's Mum raised her eyebrows in question to the two girls as they picked up their bags and rushed off.

'Yes.', nodded Emily with another broad smile as she turned round to say goodbye.


	2. Chapter 3

Once the girls were out of the house Naomi quickly brought an extremely curious and expectant Emily up to speed on what it was all about. It was Effy who had rung to say that she was calling a meeting of the whole gang to try to figure out how they could help Pandora who, in Effy's own words, 'was in deep shit' and 'was getting totally locked on'..

'What the fuck can that be about?' wondered Emily, already very concerned. She was really fond of Pandora and hoped she wasn't in any trouble at school. The last time Emily saw her she was as happy as she had ever seen her. She seemed just as much in love with Thomas as she, Emily, was with Naomi and gave the impression that life couldn't be more super-duper for her. Now that she was back with Thomas she didn't even seem to mind that she was going to have to re-sit a whole load of exams.

'That doesn't sound good, does it? said Emily. What do you think's happened?'

'I've no idea', replied Naomi, who shared Emily's concern. 'We'll find out soon enough, I'm sure.'

She too had a soft spot for Panda even though she thought she lived on a completely different planet from everyone else she knew and sometimes didn't have a clue what Panda was on about. Often she relied on Effy to translate for her as Effy more than anyone else seemed to understand Pandora's very unique style of communication and picked up on her vibe quicker than the rest of them.

'Who's turning up?' Emily asked Naomi as they made their way to the agreed meeting point, a park just a couple of minutes from Pandora's house.

'Pretty much everyone, I think. Effy, Thomas, Freddie, JJ. Even Cook.' One name was obviously conspicuous by its absence which Emily seized upon immediately.

'What about Katie?' Emily looked at Naomi closely as she put the question to her, knowing full well what Naomi's reaction to the mention of her sister would be.

Naomi and Katie still didn't really get on in any meaningful sense of the word. True, ever since the Love Ball Katie no longer openly flaunted her dislike and contempt for Naomi: in fact she had actually made some noticeable efforts to be at least civil to her. Nevertheless Naomi still didn't have much time for her, still wouldn't trust her as far as she could throw her, Emily knew this but because she loved Naomi so much and was terrified that Katie would still turn out to be a thorn in their side she had made her mind up not to push things too far with the two of them.

'Effy didn't mention her' said Naomi with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders. But then seeing the redhead fall silent and look disconsolately down at the ground Naomi grabbed her hand, pulled her towards her and, smiling deep into her chocolate brown eyes as she gently draped her arms around Emily's slender neck, kissed her long and deeply. Naomi was pleased to feel her girlfriend's eager response to her attempt to apologise for her unnecessary sharpness.

'I don't suppose Effy thought about calling her. Things are still pretty difficult between them, aren't they?' Naomi said softly to Emily, who had immediately cheered up after that knee-trembling, spine-tingling, utterly gorgeous kiss.

'Yeah. Katie still hasn't forgiven her, even though she won't press charges like Mum wanted her to.'

'Jesus!' exclaimed Naomi. 'Did your Mum really want her to do that? Effy was as high as a kite, we all know that and besides Freddie was as much to blame. He just used Katie to get Effy to react like she did!'

'I know that. So does Katie deep down but her pride was hurt all the same. Anyway, she's got herself a new bloke now so she's trying to move on.'

'Let me guess. Another fucking Neanderthal footballer, I suppose?' Naomi looked at Emily with a sly grin and the two of them exchanged smiles, still holding hands as they neared their destination.

'I'm not sure what he does, but she met him at Dad's gym so he's gotta be into sport or something like that. Actually, compared to Danny he seems quite intelligent.'

'Ems, that's not difficult, is it? The only reason Danny didn't enter the annual Village Idiot Contest is that he knew nobody else would bother running against him!'

Both of them burst out into fits of hysterics and were still laughing at Naomi's cutting remark moments later when they saw Effy, Freddie and Thomas standing a few yards ahead of them watching them approach.

'Hi Guys!' The two girls greeted the others who were all smiling at the pair of them as they stood before them, having released their arms from around each others waists but still continued to hold hands.

Both girls were now totally comfortable showing their love for each other in front of their friends. In fact they felt positively encouraged to do so by the matter of fact way in which almost all of the gang had just calmly accepted their relationship as something perfectly normal and right. It didn't stop one or two of them teasing the pair of them from time to time, but the girls knew it was done out of genuine affection rather than malice and they took it in the spirit in which it was intended – a bit of gentle piss-taking between friends.

'Hey there, lovebirds!' said Freddie, with a smile. 'How's it going?'

'Good,' replied Emily.

'Thanks for coming so quickly, 'said Effy who was standing casually next to Freddie. 'Hope I wasn't interrupting anything when I called,' she smiled wickedly. 'I thought it was just about late enough for you two to have finally dragged yourselves away from each other.'

'We were having breakfast, if you must know.' Naomi shot out her response to Effy's little wind-up with a self-satisfied smirk on her face as Emily giggled next to her.

'Anyway, what's this all about? You said Panda's in deep shit!' Everyone turned to look at Thomas who had been standing silently with a serious expression on his face while all this light-hearted banter was going on. His explanation came as quite a shock to Emily and Naomi.

'Her Mum's found out about us. Don't ask me how, I don't know. But she's very angry with Pandora' Thomas looked really sad and stared at the ground with a look of complete despair and dejection.

'Shit!' cried out Emily and Naomi in unison.

'She's a bit more than just angry, 'said Effy. 'She's gone absolutely fucking mental. She's been screaming at Panda about how deceitful she's been, going behind her back by 'mixing with boys', She's grounded her for two weeks, won't let her out of the house at all.. She's forbidden her to see Thomas again and she's even been threatening to take Panda out of college and get her private lessons at home!'

'It's a real bummer', said Freddie in his inimitable laid back style.

'We've got to come up with some plan to help Panda and Thomas, guys,' pleaded Effy looking around at all of them.

Her best friend had begged for help and she had no intention of letting her down.

She had looked out for her ever since they first met and she certainly wasn't going to stand idly by now when Panda needed her most. She would have gone around straight away and had it out with Pandora's Mum if Freddie hadn't warned her against such a rash and impulsive course of action and suggested getting the others together to come up with a proper plan instead. So, much against her natural compulsive instincts Effy had phoned round everyone to organise this meeting.

A chorus of shouts made them suddenly turn around to see Cook and JJ striding towards them purposefully.

'Thank Christ for that! Problem solved. It's Batman and Robin.' said Naomi turning her face upwards in an expression of mock relief. 'I expect we'll be storming the house, SAS style, in next to no time.'

'Something like that, I guess,' nodded Freddie in agreement with a wry grimace breaking over his face.

Sure enough, Cook's first words on his arrival, with JJ following in tow just like his trusted companion, confirmed all of their worst fears.

'Have no fear guys, the Cookie Monster's here! He's primed and ready for the fight. Panda's Mum won't know what's hit her!

'Not helpful, Cook' said Effy, fixing him with a withering glance.

'I think what's called for is a fiendishly delicate strategy, a carefully planned manoeuvre of bluff and double bluff which will take into account all the variables and all the statistical probabilities, just like a war game,' JJ suggested, his eyes wide open with excitement, nodding furiously.

'Yeah, right JJ, that's bound to do the trick. Subtlety's what's called for here, replied Cook screwing up his face in obvious scorn.

'Guys, this is Panda's Mum we're dealing with, not Johnny White, remember! Can we get real?' Effy was already starting to regret having allowed Freddie to persuade her to involve all the others. 'We need to think of something that will get Panda off the hook with Thomas but won't make her mad at us. Come on! This needs serious thought!


	3. Chapter 4

A quarter of an hour had now passed since Effy had called upon everyone to put their best thinking caps on and come up with a plan to help out Pandora and Thomas. Each of them in turn had suggested something but no one single idea had met with anything approaching general approval. Tempers were starting to fray somewhat and an air of desperation was beginning to hang over the group like an ominous dark cloud.

Cook, naturally, was still in favour of direct physical action and was pissing off the rest of them by calling them all 'pussies' for, in his eyes, 'not having the balls to go for the jugular'. To his way of thinking Pandora was the damsel in distress, imprisoned in her own castle and he was the knight in shining armour whose duty it was to storm the castle, seek her out and carry her away over his shoulder to safety.

'I've got into the house once before when all you girls were in there and none of you lot had a clue. I can do it again and Panda's Mum will never know!'

'This isn't the Middle Ages, Cook,' pointed out Freddie, sighing. 'Besides, even if we did get Panda out, how's that going to help things?'

'Panda's Mum will only go ballistic, probably call the police and be even more determined to stop Panda from seeing Thomas.' Naomi felt obliged to point out the bleeding obvious to Cook since it seemed to be way beyond his comprehension. She was getting seriously tired and bored of his constant Jack the Lad, macho posturing and she could see so were some of the others. Someone had to bring him back to reality fast and as usual it fell to her to challenge his self appointed position of authority within the group.

Cook shrugged his shoulders and said dismissively 'Well none of you have come up with anything better, have you?'

'I don't want to do anything that's going to make Pandora's Mum even more angry with Panda,' said Thomas quietly. She's already mad enough with her. We need to find a solution that will make her want to give me a chance to prove to her how much I love and respect Pandora.'

All of them apart from Cook murmured their agreement and Effy went over and put an arm round Thomas's shoulders to comfort him, He cut such a sad and disconsolate figure sitting there quietly, slightly away from the rest of the group, alone with his thoughts and his sorrow. He knew he could count on his friends to try to help him in his hour of need – they had done it before with success and he had faith that they would come up trumps again. It was just a matter of time before someone had a brilliant idea.

It was Naomi who broke the uneasy silence that had fallen on the group since Thomas's emotional plea for a calm, thoughtful response to the situation.

'Look guys, 'she said, lighting a cigarette, 'I know this might sound a bit feeble, but I agree with Thomas. We need to do something which will prove to Panda's Mum that Thomas is someone she can trust. We know she thinks all boys are bad, they're all nothing but trouble, so we have to convince her that Thomas isn't like that. **We've** got to tell her he's trustworthy, good and kind and that he loves Panda and he's right for her!'

'That's all very well but who's she going to believe?' asked Freddie, raising his eyebrows and looking round at everyone.

'It can't be any of the boys!' said Effy forcefully, with a quick glance at Cook who was just shaking his head and muttering to himself beneath his breath. 'None of you would even get as far as the front door before she's be on the phone to the cops. It has got to be one of us girls. But I don't think it should be me,' her voice tailed off as she said that and she bowed her head, looking down at the ground.

'Why not?' Freddie asked her with a puzzled expression.

'Because I'm sure she still blames me for what happened to her at Panda's party. And I'm Panda's best friend so she probably thinks I've been a bad influence on her. She'll believe it was me who introduced her to boys and encouraged her to get it on with Thomas.'

'Well, she's not fucking wrong there, is she?' laughed Cook. 'Panda's always looked up to you, hasn't she, Effy? She's always wanted to be more like you. Now look where that's got her!'

'Shut the fuck up, Cook!' said Emily, Freddie and Naomi almost simultaneously. JJ just shook his head and looked at Cook with indignation etched all over his face.

'That's not fair. Effy doesn't deserve that. Why can't you just leave her alone? Don't take out your disappointment on her.'

'What the fuck do you mean by that, JJ?' Cook's tone of voice carried more than a hint of menace and resentment which made all the others look at each other nervously. But before JJ could reply Thomas stood up and diverted their attention by starting to walk away from the group. Effy shouted out to him with genuine concern.

'Thomas, where are you going? Don't go, please! I'm sorry! Please come back. Cook, apologise to Thomas!' Effy turned round to face Cook angrily before starting to run after Thomas.

Cook held out his arms in a gesture of disbelief and looked around at the others.

'Why the fuck should I? What did I say that wasn't true? Tell me that, eh?'

Thomas stopped and turned round to face them all, looking close to tears. 'I don't want to cause any arguments between you over this. I just want to see Panda again. I just want things to get back to how they were before. How is fighting amongst ourselves going to help Panda?'

Whilst he made this short but impassioned speech, Thomas looked over at Cook with a mixture of resentment and despair. He so wanted to have a real go at Cook for what he had said about Panda and Effy, not to mention for having started this latest bout of in-fighting. But he knew that this wasn't the right time or place to do it. With Cook around there were always plenty of distractions to have to deal with but he needed to get everyone's attention back to the problem in hand - his and Panda's sorry plight.

'OK, look, if Effy doesn't think it should be her who talks to Panda's Mum, then who should it be?' said Emily, desperate to change the mood which she could see might turn a bit ugly unless minds were brought back to the real reason they were all gathered there.

'Well I think it should be you, Ems,' said Naomi, smiling at the redhead. 'You're the most polite and respectful out of all of us, so I reckon you'd have the best chance of sweet talking Panda's Mum round.'

'Me? You're joking, aren't you?' Emily opened her mouth wide in astonishment and felt herself involuntarily blushing at her girlfriend's praise. Yet even while doing so, she couldn't stop a warm sense of pride and satisfaction rushing over her that Naomi had put her name forward as the best person to do the job.

Everyone else immediately agreed with Naomi and despite Emily's humble protests – which Naomi thought were just too cute for words- the decision was unanimously carried. Even Cook voiced his approval that, if they really had to be a bunch of wimps and go down the diplomacy route, then he had no quarrel with Emily being the voice for them all.

'Right, that's settled,' said Effy, with an audible sigh of relief. 'You know what to say, don't you, Em?'

'I suppose so. Do you want me to go there right away?' Now that the responsibility for trying to salvage Thomas and Panda's relationship had been firmly thrust upon her slim shoulders, Emily was suddenly experiencing a few pangs of self-doubt and felt in need of some time to compose herself.'

'Please, Emily,' said Thomas, 'I am really so grateful to you. You are such a good friend.'

They all slowly made their way towards the front of Panda's house, a place which brought back so many happy memories for Emily and Naomi that they couldn't help themselves exchanging a knowing smile when they arrived there. Emily motioned to them to go and hide well out of sight of the house as she didn't want Panda's Mum to see any of them. If this operation was to have the faintest chance of succeeding, then Panda's Mum had to believe that Emily had decided to pay her a visit on her own initiative.

When Emily was satisfied that the others couldn't be seen from the front garden, she took a few really deep breaths, swallowed hard several times and approached the front door. She kept telling herself not to panic, to keep calm and to be very polite and respectful to Panda's Mum at all times. She rung the front door bell and waited as her chest tightened with nervous anticipation and apprehension.


	4. Chapter 5

**Author's Note**

Thanks to everyone who has posted reviews and comments so far. Your feedback is so important whether it's positive or otherwise. You act as the inspiration to carry on writing, especially when the going starts to get a bit tough!

By the way, just in case any of you are still confused as to why this story seems to begin with chapter 2, chapter 1 was actually published by mistake as a separate story called 'A Perfect Start to the Day'. Sorry about that – I've got the hang of things now!

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After what seemed like an eternity the door opened and Panda's mother stood before Emily with a puzzled expression on her face. She clearly didn't recognize her at first and the redhead was on the point of breaking the slightly awkward silence when finally the penny dropped.

'Oh, hello dear' said Panda's Mum. 'It's…. um, Katie, isn't it?' she said without a great deal of confidence.

'Um, no, I'm the other one. Emily. Hello, Mrs Moon. It's nice to see you again. How are you?' Emily had decided to go big with the politeness right from the start.

'It's very nice to see you too. I'm fine, thank you. What can I do for you? This is an unexpected visit. I _do_ hope you haven't come to see Pandora. I'm afraid she's been a very bad girl and I'm not allowing her so see any of her friends at the moment'

'No, Mrs Moon, I've actually come to speak to you, if you can possibly spare me a few minutes.'

Emily knew that the hardest part of her mission would be to actually get a foot inside the door. If she did get invited in, Emily thought she might just stand a chance of succeeding, but getting Panda's Mum to grant her an audience could be tricky, she thought. She would need to use all her natural charm and persuasive skills.

'What do you want to talk to me about, dear?' Mrs Moon looked at Emily a little suspiciously.

'I would really like to have a quick chat with you about Panda and Thomas. I know you're very upset with Panda and I can perfectly understand that, Mrs Moon. But if you would let me, I would really like to speak up for Thomas and tell you what an incredibly nice guy he is.'

'Well, you know my feelings about boys, don't you, Emily? They are very bad, wicked people and I've told Panda I don't want her getting mixed up with any boys at all. I'm extremely disappointed with her for having disobeyed me on this subject and she is being punished for that.' Panda's Mum had a stern, serious expression on her face and was edging slightly back into the house.

Emily realised she had to up the ante and somehow get an invite inside quickly before Mrs Moon considered the subject well and truly closed. She took a deep breath and, putting on her saddest and most beseeching expression which she hoped would do the trick, begged her to just let her come in and talk to her for a few minutes.

Amazingly, Mrs Moon appeared to be won over by Emily's last ditch pleas and stepped to one side, motioning to her to come in. Emily just about managed to stop herself letting out an audible scream of relief and delight and entered the house, followed closely by Panda's Mum. 'Keep your nerve, Ems. Don't blow it now, for fuck's sake,' she said to herself.

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The rest of the gang, watching intently from a discreet distance peering round from behind a hedge, saw Emily go in the house and started cheering quietly amongst themselves.

'Yes!' said Naomi, Effy, and Thomas together. They knew the psychological importance of Emily actually getting into the house as that crucial first step on the long road ahead of her. While they were quietly dancing up and down in unrestrained joy, Freddie interrupted their mini celebrations with a note of concern in his voice.

'Where the fuck's Cook? And JJ! There were here a minute ago, weren't they?'

'Jesus! 'said Naomi, anxiety and anger rising in her voice. 'What the fuck are they up to? The last thing we need right now is for Cook to start doing his own thing!'

'He wouldn't do anything to screw things up, would he? 'said Thomas, without any conviction.

'We're talking about Cook, aren't we?' said Effy. 'That's just what he would do. He'd think that would be fucking hilarious.' Come on, let's look for them.'

They all began to look around and wandered up the street to see if the boys could be found but there was no sign of the deadly duo. They looked at each other with genuine concern, none of them daring to say out loud what they were all afraid might have happened. All four of them made their way back to their original observation point and waited with increasing trepidation to see how events would unfold. None of them could take their eyes off the front of the house.

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Emily had been sitting down in the living room drinking tea and talking with Panda's Mum for some ten minutes now and was just beginning to feel slightly more comfortable and confident. It had been difficult to start with as Panda's Mum was in no mood to be steamrollered away from her opinion of Thomas. He was, after all, a boy and therefore had a huge disadvantage in her eyes that Emily could not easily counter. But slowly and surely she was making some headway and was bigging up Thomas as 'nothing like your average boy'.

She had emphasised how bright at college Thomas was and how he was really keen to help Pandora catch up on her studies which definitely seemed to make a good impression on Mrs Moon who had admitted early on to Emily just how worried she was about how poor Panda's results had been this year and was blaming Panda's friendship with Thomas for that..

'If you could just meet him one afternoon, perhaps invite him over to have tea with you and Panda, I'm sure you'll see how nice he is!' Emily was confident that Thomas would be able to charm Mrs Moon if he was just given a chance.

'Everyone loves Thomas and knows how good he would be for Panda. He's so polite and respectful. He has a really nice family and he adores his little brother and sister.'

Emily hoped that would impress Panda's Mum and it seemed to have worked the trick as Mrs Moon got up, smiled sweetly at Emily and said to her,

'Well Emily, I'm going to go upstairs and speak to Pandora and tell her what we've been discussing. Would you like to wait here while I do that? Please help yourself to more cakes. I'm sorry there aren't any brownies this time. I wasn't expecting you.'

Emily just about managed not to burst out laughing and watched as Mrs Moon left the room. She let out a huge sigh of relief and fell back in the armchair utterly exhausted with all her efforts. She closed her eyes and thought about her ecstatic Panda would be at the news and hoped she wouldn't say anything stupid to her Mum to fuck it all up and ruin all her good work. When she opened her eyes again it was to see a sight which chilled her to the bone and almost gave her an instant heart attack.

There, standing in front of her, with a big grin on his face and greedily swilling beer from a can was Cook, as large as life, with JJ nervously standing behind him looking apologetic and terrified.

'What the fuck are you doing here, you tosser!?' Emily said in a mixture of a whisper and a scream. 'Get the fuck out of here before Panda's Mum comes back .If she sees you two here we're screwed for good!'

'Calm down, Ems. We just came to find out how you were doing and see if you needed some help.' Cook smiled at her hugely and proceeded to sit down in one of the other armchairs.

'I'm sorry, Emily,' said JJ as he tried to clam her down. 'I tried to stop him but he said you needed some reinforcements. Honestly. I had to come with him. I couldn't leave him on his own.'

Cook drained his beer and put it down on the table next to the cups and plates. He was just on the point of saying something to JJ in reply when the sound of rapidly approaching voices from the stairs made them all look round in panic.

'Fuck! They're coming! Hide somewhere!' Emily whispered as loudly as she dared and watched, with her heart thumping furiously, as Cook and JJ quickly dived behind the large sofa and hid from sight.

Seconds later Panda's Mum and Panda entered the room and Emily found herself praying that Cook and JJ wouldn't make a sound.

'Hi, Emily,' screamed Panda with a huge smile on her face and she rushed over to give Emily a huge hug, 'Mum's just told me what you've said about Thommo. That's super wicked of you!' Panda could hardly contain her excitement and her Mum frowned at her.

'Pandora, what I have told you about leaving the goat outside the house?'

'Sorry, Mum. Calm, calm, calm.' Pandora went through her breathing procedure with a big grin and winked at Emily who couldn't help smiling at her friend.

Suddenly Mrs Moon's attention was fixed on the beer can sitting proudly in the middle of the table and she turned to Emily with a look of bewilderment on her face.

'Where did that can come from?'

She picked it up, smelt it and immediately pulled a face of disgust

'It's beer! How did that get there?' Again she looked at Emily who knew she had to come up with something fast or the whole afternoon would end in failure. Panda's reprieve would depend on her coming up with a phenomenally good story to explain the presence of the beer can.

'It's mine. I found it outside the house in the garden. Someone must have thrown it away there when they'd finished with it. I would have put it in a litter bin but I couldn't find one so I brought it in here to get rid of it. I hate litter bugs.'

Emily knew it wasn't terribly convincing but it was all she could think of on the spur of the moment. She had her fingers crossed behind her back, hoping for the best.

'Well that's very good of you, Emily,' said Panda's Mum, smiling. 'Litter is such a bad thing, there are so many bad things in the world, aren't there?'

'Yes, Mum,' said Pandora, anxious to get in her Mum's good books again. 'Horrible boys, not like Thomas, wars, litter bugs, global…..warning….' Pandora's voice tailed off and she looked at the two of them who burst out laughing.

'Global **warming,** Panda,' said Emily.

'Yeah, that as well, 'smiled Panda, innocently..

Two minutes later Emily said her goodbyes to Panda and her Mum and walked away from the house, desperately hoping that Cook and JJ would somehow get out of the house and join her and the others without having been seen by Mrs Moon.


	5. Chapter 6

**Author's Note**

**This chapter gets increasingly heavy with emotion as it progresses, ending up with a big surprise to finish! Hope you enjoy it and ****please do**** post your reviews, even if you didn't like it much!**

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Emily had hardly got out of Pandora's front door before she heard her name being called and looked around to see the others beckoning her to join them. Five minutes later she had filled them in on the drama of her meeting with Panda's Mum and how close Cook and JJ had come to screwing things up.

'Fucking twat!' Naomi didn't hold back on expressing her anger, livid as she was that Cook had shown so little thought and consideration towards Emily that he was quite prepared to jeopardise all her good work just to satisfy his own ego and misplaced sense of self-importance.

'That's Cook for you,' remarked Freddie to no-one in particular. 'He'll never change, not for anyone. He can't help himself, it's like he's got no control over his own actions. He simply can't do what anybody else would do in the same situation.'

'He has to live on the edge; he has to take risks the whole time, even if it means fucking up everyone else's lives.'

Effy's flat, emotionless tone spoke volumes, borne out of bitter recent experience of Cook's recklessness, selfishness and utter disregard for other people's feelings. She thought she had seen the possibility of a different side to him after the pair of them had taken off together. For an all too brief period he had shown her glimpses of another Cook, one who was capable of showing sensitivity and consideration for others. Sadly, though, this more likeable Cook had faded away almost as swiftly as he had mysteriously appeared, leaving no forwarding address.

Thomas had already taken a call on his mobile from an ecstatic Pandora and was already making plans to come round to tea to meet her mother. He was hugging Emily for joy as he was talking, a huge smile lighting up his face and his eyes full of gratitude for what the redhead had done. He had no sooner finished the call than Cook and JJ came round the corner, Cook smiling and grinning and JJ looking anxious and nervous, no doubt fully aware of the stick they were going to get.

Unsurprisingly the reaction was pretty hostile towards Cook, especially from Naomi, Effy and Freddie who didn't hold back in letting him know just what they thought of his stunt. JJ seemed to escape most of the criticism, much to his obvious relief, and he was at pains to impress upon everyone how he had tried to talk Cook out of going in, just like the day of Panda's party.

'I'm sorry guys, but he just wouldn't listen!' JJ apologised profusely. 'He was hell bent on steaming in and I had to go in with him.'

'It was fucking mint!' laughed Cook, not remotely chastened by the hostile reception he had received on his return. 'You should have seen Emily's face when she saw me. It was priceless!'

'Yeah, thanks Cook. That really calmed my nerves. I don't know how I would have got through the whole thing if you hadn't turned up to help.' Emily's anger, which had been simmering since she left the house, had returned with a vengeance as memories of her panic-stricken reaction on seeing Cook suddenly appear from nowhere came flooding back all over again.

'Jesus! You've got to live a little, guys! Not _one_ of you lives on the edge, do you? None of you are prepared to let a bit of danger into your drab, safe, boring little lives. At least **I** actuallyfeel like I'm alive. When was the last any of you did?!'

Cook's emotional, brutal response, delivered with a withering look at them all which felt like it burned right through to their very core, produced an uncomfortable silence. One or two of them shifted nervously from one foot to the other and all of them looked hard down at the ground, not wanting to return Cook's accusing gaze, as if afraid they would start him off on another rant if they did.

'Well Ems did the business, anyway. Well done Ems!' said Freddie, seeking to lift everyone's mood by reminding them all that the afternoon had been a great success. Emily beamed the widest of smiles and Naomi put an arm round her waist and kissed her on the forehead.

'That's my girl!' she said proudly, and looked lovingly into Emily's eyes. 'She can do anything when she puts her mind to it. She was the brave one in there. She didn't hide behind a fucking sofa.'

Everyone laughed, whilst checking out Cook for his reaction, but he let it go. He was deep in conversation with JJ, taking the piss out of him for almost going into one of his major 'locked on' fits when they were hiding from Panda's Mum.

Everyone proceeded to go their separate ways. Cook stated his intention of going to his uncle's pub to 'get hammered and pull a few birds' and _told _JJ he was coming with him. Effy and Freddie sloped off together without any fuss, destination unknown. Thomas took off on his own to make grand plans for charming the pants off Panda's Mum. Naomi and Emily decided they were going back to Naomi's; Emily was exhausted after her eventful afternoon and wanted nothing more than to curl up alongside the blonde girl in her bed to explore ways in which Naomi might help relieve the nervous tension that had built up inside her over the last couple of hours.

The two girls slowly made their way over to Naomi's hand in hand in the highest of spirits. Naomi was really proud of Emily for having had both the courage to speak up for Thomas and Panda and the nerve to hold it together when Cook so nearly fucked it up for them. However she couldn't resist gently taking the mickey out of Emily a little for the exaggerated polite act she had been forced to put on for the benefit of Pandora's Mum. She started cruelly mimicking Emily's doorstep manner and Emily, though laughing at Naomi's more than passable imitation of her performance, couldn't resist playfully smacking her on the arms in mock anger and outrage..

By the time the girls reached the house they were both in fits of laughter and pushing each other around, each pretending to try to knock the other one over. So engrossed were they with each other that they were blissfully unaware that their horseplay –or was it a form of foreplay? – was being observed by Naomi's mother from the window. When the girls got inside they made straight for the kitchen to get some water to take with them to Naomi's bedroom.

Still laughing and talking excitedly they walked in to be greeted by Gina who flashed a huge, warm, welcoming smile at the pair of them. 'Hi girls!'

'Oh. Hi Mum,' said Naomi who had hoped and indeed thought that the house would be empty. She was conscious that she had probably not entirely succeeded in keeping the disappointment out of her voice.

'Hi Gina!' said Emily, who, unlike her girlfriend, was never unhappy to see Naomi's mother, no matter how horny Emily might have been feeling or how desperate she may have been to get Naomi on her own. She sensed and understood the blonde's frustration. Emily, however, could never bring herself to just mutter a cursory greeting and take her leave of Gina as easily as Naomi always seemed to want to do.

'What have you two been up to that's made you both so happy?' I was watching you from the window just now.' Gina smiled innocently but Naomi was instantly suspicious and on her guard.

'Nothing! Why?'

'Oh, Naomi, don't be so defensive! Your Mum's just asking. Why do you feel the need to keep everything a secret?'

Emily felt more than a touch irritated by what she saw as Naomi's unnecessary reaction to her mother's simple enquiry. Why the big wall of silence? Why did she have to put up the shutters as soon as her Mum appeared?

Naomi scowled at Emily and made a silent gesture to her to shut up. Emily's last words had touched a raw nerve with her and she was feeling vulnerable and insecure again. But her fleeting annoyance with the redhead disappeared in an instant as her mother's next words chilled her to the bone and made her catch her breath.

'Oh Naomi, love, how long is this pretence going to go on for?' I'm not an idiot, you know. I do know what's happening.'

The girls exchanged uncertain glances and looked up at Gina who was leaning against the kitchen door, gently shaking her head from side to side and smiling benevolently at them.

'What the fuck are you on about, Mum?' asked Naomi with a heavy heart which felt like it was going to give out on her at any second. By contrast Emily's face betrayed a warm half smile. Instinctively she moved a fraction closer to Naomi, guessing, quite correctly, that the blonde girl would be in for a big shock any moment now.

'I'm your mother, Naomi. I know you better than anyone. I know when you're happy and I know when you're sad. Most of your life I think you've been quite unhappy, haven't you, love? But….. these last six months or so you've been happier than I've ever seen you before. And I couldn't be more thrilled for you. And I think the reason for that is with us here right now…….. Isn't she?'

Naomi couldn't stop herself immediately bursting into tears and slumped forward, almost doubled up as the sobs began to rip her body apart. Emily instinctively reached forward and wrapped her arms around the sobbing girl, turning her face towards Gina and smiling at her through her own tears. But Emily's tears were tears of joy and relief, whereas her girlfriend's tears were borne out of shock and embarrassment.

Gina moved forward to sit down alongside the two girls. She put her hands down to Naomi's face and gently eased it upwards so that it was on the same level as her own. She looked lovingly into her daughter's eyes and wiped away some of the tears with her fingers as she spoke softly to her

'Do you remember some time ago when I told you that the people who make us happy are never the people we expect?'

Naomi nodded, despite still crying heavily and not quite being able to look directly in her mother's eyes. She was feeling completely numb inside and unable to speak.

'Well, I don't imagine either of us would have expected it would be another girl who would make you so happy, but I couldn't be more pleased that it's Emily who's brought you back to life again.'

Gina smiled at Emily and received a huge smile back as Emily's tears of happiness started flowing down her cheeks.

'Because you needed someone to make you enjoy life again, didn't you?'

Again Naomi nodded, and forced herself to look at her Mum through heavy, tearful eyes and with a flushed pink face.

'Love, I couldn't care less who you fall in love with as long as that person loved you back, treated you properly and was kind and looked after you. And I have to say I don't think you could have found anyone better than Emily.'

At those words Emily let go of Naomi, whose crying had eased a little and moved over towards Gina and threw her arms around her to hug her. Gina smiled as Emily buried her head in her shoulders and started crying quietly herself.

'Thank you for being so wonderful' Emily half whispered. 'I really do love her, you know?'

'I know, sweetheart. And Naomi really loves you too, don't you, love?'

'Yes.' Naomi finally trusted herself to speak without the fear of completely breaking down again.

'Christ knows why, she drives me mad sometimes but I really do love her!' She couldn't help a nervous laugh and looked over at Emily who dragged herself away from Gina to sit down next to Naomi and hold her hands in her own.

Suddenly the heavy atmosphere of high emotion, unrestrained tears and shocking revelations was punctured by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

'Shit! What a fucking great time for someone to call round!' exclaimed Naomi, rolling her eyes in disbelief. 'We're not in, right, Mum?' she said as her mother went out of the kitchen to answer the front door, leaving the two girls emotionally spent behind her.

A minute or so later Gina reappeared in the doorway looking shocked and nervous..

'Who was it?' said Naomi, rubbing her eyes and noting her Mum's serious face.

Her mother bit her lip and said after some hesitation, 'There's someone come to see you,' and stood to one side to allow a tall figure to step forward into the doorway.

'Hello, Naomi,' said her father.


	6. Chapter 7

**Author's Note**

**This chapter follows on from the end of the last one and creates more drama for Naomi to cope with. ****Please do**** post your reviews, even if you didn't like what I've written. I really do appreciate them, so keep them coming!**

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Naomi had been sitting on her bed for over an hour now, her head still in a complete daze. She felt like she had been sandbagged, leaving her dizzy and light-headed. There were so many conflicting emotions flying around in her mind that she was struggling to catch hold of even one of them for long enough to be able to claim possession of it.

It was only a couple of hours ago that she'd had a scene with Emily and her mother that normally would have drained her of all her energy and vitality for the rest of the day. She should have been lying there on the bed now with Emily, hardly daring to believe her Mum's reaction to their relationship which she had thought had been kept so secret from her.

All Naomi's worst fears and suspicions of how Mum would take the revelation that her daughter had fallen in love with a girl had been shown to be totally unjustified. The overwhelming feeling of relief that she felt on hearing what her Mum said came out in floods of tears which took some time to subside.

She had been convinced that she couldn't allow her mother to uncover the truth about her and Emily until she had become completely reconciled to it herself. But, as it turned out, her mother appeared to have had more faith and confidence in them as a couple than she did.

She had even begun to wonder, in the immediate aftermath of the emotional outpourings of tears and hugs, if Emily and her Mum had somehow contrived the moment to happen between them. They had seemed so happy at the end of it all, as if it was a great weight off their minds. She wasn't totally sure whether she hadn't been set up by the two of them. But then, almost as quickly, she dismissed those thoughts as unworthy of her, the product of her heightened paranoia and confusion these last few months.

But then just as she was beginning to relax and take it all in, with Emily at her side, holding her hand, calming her beating heart with her gorgeous smile and sparkling eyes, her world was immediately turned upside down again by the shock appearance of her father at the house.

This was the father whom she hadn't laid eyes on for more than five years now, whom her Mum had divorced when she was still a little girl and whom she had assumed, and hoped, she would never see again. There he was standing in front of her in their kitchen, intruding into their private moment of togetherness..

'What the fuck are _you_ doing here?' Naomi had been unable to stop herself spitting this greeting out, once she had recognized who it was. Stunned and amazed as she was to see him, the words came out with all the force and venom of a viper's tongue.

Having observed, almost unnoticed, the opening exchanges of what she could tell was going to be an extremely tense and awkward family confrontation, Emily quickly made her excuses and left. She did so with huge reluctance as she could see Naomi was upset by her father's unexpected arrival. She desperately wanted to stay and give the blonde moral support, to be there for her if she needed her afterwards but equally Emily knew it was not right for her to stay any longer. Besides, she had her own family demons to face. She couldn't avoid them forever.

Naomi was struck by how different how father looked from the last time she had seen him, even though that was many years ago. Through her initial anger, disbelief and confusion as to why he was there, she couldn't help noticing how thinner he was from how she remembered. His cheeks looked hollow, his face had a greyish complexion and his eyes looked dull and lifeless. This was not the father she could recall, this seemed like a completely different man.

'Did you know he was coming?' Naomi asked her mother, her eyes blazing the question at her and without waiting for her father to answer her first.

'I had no idea, love. I'm just as surprised as you are.' Gina replied, fixing a stare at the shadow of her former husband as if demanding from him an explanation for his presence. 'What have you come here for, Jimmy? You can see there's nothing for you here anymore, can't you?'

Naomi's father, who had listened and observed all their reactions without a flicker of emotion, finally spoke, albeit with a voice that sounded like it was a million miles away. 'I haven't come here for anything, except to see Naomi.'

'Well, you've seen me now, so sod off!' Naomi turned her head away from him and looked at her Mum for a sign of approval, but Gina was staring at her father with increasingly sombre and pitiful eyes as she began to take in the frailty and vulnerability he was so painfully and unsuccessfully trying to hide.

'Are you still pissing most of your money away at the bookies and drinking yourself stupid with what's left?' Gina felt the need to cut to the chase right away.

'No, not any more. Well not quite, anyway,' said Jimmy, with a rueful expression. 'I haven't laid a bet on for three years now. Not that you can ever say you've beaten it. I've learned that much.'

'Good.' said Gina, without a trace of feeling in her voice. 'I'm very pleased for you. Shame you couldn't have done that when we were still married, when you still had a family that loved you!'

'I know,' said Jimmy, nodding his head. 'Too little, too late. I haven't done it for your benefit, I've done it for mine. I'm on my own now, so….. I've got to do things for myself, haven't I?'

'And the booze?' Gina pressed him further, as if not wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt.

'Well, I only ever really drank to blot out the memory of how much I'd lost, didn't I?

Now I only get pissed when it starts to get tougher walking past the betting shop. I figure if I'm too pissed to stand up straight I won't be able to put a bet on. And it's worked…….so far.'

Naomi, who had been listening to these exchanges in silence, couldn't hold back any longer. 'How do we know this isn't just another one of your stories, another one of your pathetic lies?!'

'You don't,' said her father with a brutal honesty that surprised her. 'You can't know, can you? You have no possible reason to trust me any more, do you? I wouldn't, if I were you. But it is the truth. Not that it should matter a damn to you. And why should it? You're fine now without me.'

'Yes we are,' Gina said emphatically. 'Both of us are doing great. We're really happy with our lives.'

Jimmy smiled for the first time since he arrived. 'I can see that. Like I said, I haven't come here to try to say sorry or to beg you to give me another chance. It's way too late for that. You've both moved on. So have I …..I suppose. Sort of.'

'So **why** have you come here?' Gina needed to know the answer and wasn't going to let him off the hook if she could help it. Naomi and her mother looked at each other, each seemingly trying to pick up some signal from the other that they had an idea what this was all about. But they were both at a loss to understand his motives.

'I just wanted to see you both……..one last time.'

'Are you going away somewhere, then? For good? You're never coming back again?'

'Kind of.' Jimmy refused to return Gina's gaze and stared fixedly at the floor.

'When?' Naomi's question sounded pretty harsh and was meant to be. She just couldn't bring herself to trust a word he was saying. The memories of all those hateful rows between her parents which she used to listen to, standing outside her bedroom door, terrified ad tears flowing down her face, came flooding back to haunt her once again.

'I don't know,' her father said, looking at her as kindly as his dull, dark, lifeless eyes would allow. 'Soon. I've just got one or two things to clear up first and then I'll be gone'

'Where are you staying?' Gina guessed the answer before it came.

I'm staying with Harry.' He was Jimmy's best mate from way back who lived not that far from Naomi and her Mum.

'Look, it's time I was going.' Jimmy gave a huge sigh and turned his face towards Gina. 'I didn't want to stay long. I wasn't even sure you'd let me in. I'm really grateful you did. I know it must have been a shock to see me.

He switched his gaze to Naomi, You look fabulous, Naomi, You've turned into a really beautiful young woman.'

'No thanks to you!' Naomi was in no mood to be taken in by what she saw as his ridiculous attempts at flattery.

'I know. But I'm really glad I managed to see you again even if the feeling's not mutual. If you want to speak to me, well you know where I am. I'll be there for a few weeks at least. But I promise I won't come round again uninvited. It'll be entirely up to you if you want to see me again.'

Gina couldn't help feeling that there was something else he wasn't telling them. Maybe he thought this wasn't the right time, but she was convinced he was holding back on something.

With those last words left hanging in the air, Naomi's father left, closing the front door quietly and leaving an even bigger, heavier, confused silence behind him.


	7. Chapter 8

**Author's Note**

**This chapter follows Emily after leaving the Campbell house in chapter 5 and is told from her POV. **

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Emily dragged herself away from Naomi's house with the greatest of difficulty. She really wanted to spend the whole evening there (and stay overnight with Naomi?!) to continue to enjoy the special moment that had been created between her, Naomi and Gina. Her heart was almost full to bursting with joy and gratitude towards Naomi's mother for what she said to them both earlier on.

Gina's attitude towards their relationship was so perfectly wonderful, so completely and utterly more than she could have wished for in her wildest dreams (and Emily knew she'd been having some seriously wild dreams in recent months) that she was almost hugging herself with sheer delight. Her warmth and respect for Gina had grown immeasurably in the short time since her words of support and compassion had shocked the two girls into a stupor.

She had always got on brilliantly with Gina from the very start, but now in her mind an even closer bond had formed between them which she felt nothing would ever break. Even if she and Naomi didn't stay together permanently, Emily held a firm conviction that she would always remain friends with Gina. Not that Emily was prepared to give the idea of her and Naomi splitting up the satisfaction of a second's serious consideration,

But quite apart from not wanting to bring their happy evening to a premature close, Emily was also loath to leave Naomi behind once her father had suddenly and mysteriously turned up at the house. Emily could see and sense from her girlfriend's reactions, body language, and her whole general demeanour from the moment he walked into the kitchen that she was massively upset, confused and uncomfortable with him being there.

But the redhead was sensitive and bright enough to recognise that this was family business and that, even though Naomi and Gina had virtually become like a second family to her in the last few months, they were still as yet not officially___her_ family. Emily understood that she had to withdraw and leave Naomi to deal with whatever issues her father's reappearance created on her own or, at least, together with her Mum.

She hoped that Naomi would confide in her later as to what had happened after she'd left. Emily desperately wanted to be there for her girl if she needed her. She longed to be a shoulder to cry on if Naomi was upset or the only friend she could trust to talk to about it if she needed to work through her anger or confusion. However she knew she would have to wait for Naomi to turn to her of her own accord, she couldn't force it out of the girl: the issues were clearly way too personal for Emily to want to risk upsetting Naomi by trying to push it too far.

As she slowly walked along the street, not heading in any particular direction as she didn't really have any firm idea about where she was going to, Emily couldn't help speculating idly as to why Naomi's father might have turned up completely out of the blue after obviously so many years. It must be for a reason, and a bloody good one, she thought, but he hadn't left any decent clues. Surely he hadn't come to get his family back again?! Neither Gina nor Naomi would want him back, judging by their reaction to his arrival at their doorstep.

Naomi had never said much to Emily about her father, other than that he was a complete shit and she was glad her Mum had divorced him. So he was unlikely to be welcomed back with open arms by either of them, especially after such a long time. Besides, Gina was with Kieran now, sort of, so he would have something to say about it, for sure.

Kieran and Gina really seemed to get on well together and Emily had wondered occasionally if he had tipped Gina the wink about her and Naomi. It wouldn't have surprised her if he had, but that was fine with her if it was true. She reckoned he would have guessed or maybe known for sure that Gina would have been cool about the two of them. Emily liked Kieran and she was aware that Naomi had a real soft spot for him too although she would never explain exactly why, other than he was her politics teacher and that he was 'a laugh'.

All these random thoughts flashed through Emily's mind and totally preoccupied her as she wandered aimlessly along in her own little world. Suddenly she became aware of her name being called out very loudly and she looked all around her to locate the source of the interruption of her train of thought. She spotted Effy and Freddie on the other side of the road waving frantically at her and beckoning her to come over and join them. She crossed the road, smiling at them.

'Hi, guys. What's up?' she said. It was Freddie who answered her question.

'We're meeting Cook and JJ in the pub for a few drinks. Come and join us.'

'Where's Naomi?' Effy turned an inquiring look on Emily. It wasn't often the redhead was seen out on her own without Naomi in tow nowadays, Effy hoped they hadn't had a row. The last time they were all together that afternoon Naomi was all over Emily like a rash after her successful virtuoso performance at Panda's.

'Trouble at home, I think. Her Dad turned up totally out of the blue. I think it's freaked her out like fuck. I thought I ought to leave her and her Mum to it. It's not really any of my business.'

Emily grimaced at the pair of them as she explained what had happened and Effy could see in her big brown eyes the unmistakeable signs of anxiety and concern for her girlfriend. She thought a few drinks would be just what Emily needed to relax her and so she and Freddie persuaded the redhead to come along with them. Emily nodded silently in agreement, she was thinking along the same lines as them. In any case she was still on an emotional high after the heart to heart with Gina and wanted to celebrate. She just wished Naomi could also be there with her to join in the fun.

Ten minutes later the three of them reached the pub and entered, spotting Cook and JJ almost immediately over at the bar. The two boys hadn't noticed them come in, fully engrossed were they both, so it appeared, in animated conversation with two young, long haired, leggy, blonde girls. To be more accurate, Cook was talking with the two girls while JJ was staring at them, goggle eyed and with his mouth practically hanging open. Freddie and Emily couldn't stop themselves giggling and smiling when they saw the scene in front of them while Effy just shook her head slowly and raised her eyebrows to signal a resigned bemusement at this all too familiar sight.

They found a table in the middle of the pub, a little distance away from the bar and sat down, only occasionally looking back to observe the two boys still deep in lustful contemplation of their drinking companions.

'I see Cook seems to have finally got over losing out on you to Freddie,' remarked Emily to Effy with a knowing look.

'Yeah, it seems so,' replied Effy with a half smile and quickly turned to check out Freddie's reaction to Emily's question. It was probably the first time anyone in the group had directly posed the question about the 'love triangle' to any of them since they had returned to Bristol after the end of term..

'Is everything alright with you two and Cook?' Emily hesitated to ask but she was dying to know if there was still an atmosphere between the three of them which was being kept under wraps when all the others were around them.

'Yeah, everything seems fine,' said Freddie. 'He hasn't said much about it but…. things seem pretty much back to normal, I guess. He hasn't challenged me to a rematch, at any rate.'

'You mean he hasn't challenged JJ to a rematch,' Effy turned on a broad smug smile at Freddie and winked at Emily who laughed quietly. She had been put fully in the picture about the infamous Granny race to determine who was to win Effy's favours.

Their conversation was suddenly cut short by the sound of loud, high pitched howls of laughter and a substantial amount of industrial language, mostly on the part of Cook, it seemed. JJ turned away from the bar, clearly doubled up in fits of laughter and saw the three of them at their table. He beamed a huge smile at them and approached them immediately, still giggling helplessly in that charmingly innocent way of his which ensured that no-one could get angry with him for long, whatever he might have done.

'Hey, guys, you've just missed an absolutely priceless moment! Pure class! Probably never to be seen again!' JJ was quite beside himself with high excitement and could hardly keep still, his animated face betraying all manner of twitches and contortions.

'What's happened?' The three friends looked at each other, bewildered, and asked the burning question in unison.

'Cook's just been taken for a ride by those two blondes!' JJ almost shouted at them even though they were only a few inches away from him.

'How?' said Freddie in disbelief and he shot a glance over to the bar at Cook who was now chasing after the girls who were making a move towards the door of the pub, obviously intent on leaving.

'They challenged him that they could pull off an impossible stunt with a pound coin, a wine glass and a matchstick and he took them on. He lost the bet and they've taken forty quid off him. He's livid, absolutely steaming. He fell for it hook, line and sinker. I thought I could smell a rat and I did try to warn him against it but, naturally, he wouldn't listen to me.'

'What was the trick?' Emily asked JJ, fascinated. She wished she had witnessed that but fortunately JJ was on hand to show them exactly how it was done. He asked Freddie for a match and his friend swiftly obliged. JJ then produced a pound coin from his own pocket and put it down on the table next to the match. Next he went up to the bar to request a wine glass, returning with one within a few seconds. The others all looked at each other with ever increasing curiosity and anticipation,

'Go on, show us, JJ' said Effy, equally intrigued as the others.

JJ took the coin and balanced it on its side in the middle of the table. He then picked up the match and broke it into two equal halves, discarding one of them immediately. With the half that he retained he then very carefully balanced the half-match on top of the pound coin so that it stayed there, precariously balanced but perfectly still. Finally he took the wine glass, turned it upside down and very delicately placed it over the coin and match so that the coin and match were now inside the glass.

'OK, 'said JJ. 'The trick has now been set up. What one of the girls bet Cook was that she could move the match without touching either the coin or the glass. You can't shake or move the table either. So, what do you think guys?'

They all stared intently at the objects that JJ had so precisely set up on the table for a good few moments, looked at each other and shook their heads slowly one by one. They all agreed it couldn't be done.

'That's what Cook said. But watch this'.

JJ revealed a straw that he must have brought back with him from the bar and, rubbing it hard against his sweater for about ten seconds, he then moved the now highly statically charged straw towards the side of the glass, lightly touching it without actually moving it, and gently pulled the straw along the side of the glass . Almost as if by magic the broken match, still perched on top of the coin, twisted around in the direction of the straw.

All of them burst out laughing and JJ smiled at them, pleased with himself for having successfully recreated the trick which the girls had just perpetrated on Cook. The four of them instinctively looked over towards the door just in time to see Cook shouting after the girls who, having performed their scam on him, had decided to move on somewhere else to find another sucker.

'Nice one, Cook!' shouted Freddie, his face still creased in laughter. 'Took you right to the cleaners, didn't they?'

'Fucking pair of bitches! They fucking cleaned me out!' Cook had come over to them, his furious expression matching his language.

'You're an arsehole, Cook' said Emily. 'Didn't your mother ever warn you about talking to strange women in pubs?' All of them roared with laughter and Cook slumped down in a vacant chair, looking thoroughly pissed off with life and hugely embarrassed at having been shown up in front of his mates.

'Come on; let's be fair,' said Freddie. 'It was just Cook's bad luck that they happened to be two good looking birds with long legs and big tits. If they'd been right mingers, he wouldn't have given them the time of the day to begin with, would he?!'

They all smiled knowingly at each other and carried on drinking and talking amongst themselves, leaving Cook silent and glum in his seat.

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	8. Chapter 9

**Author's Note**

**This chapter follows on from the previous one but somewhat later that same evening as Emily arrives home from the pub. There's a fair helping of confrontation and 'straight talking' coming up! Hope you enjoy it-please review!**

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Emily said goodbye to JJ and thanked him for having walked her home. For all his bumbling, stuttering nervousness and general lack of self-confidence around girls he was a real sweetie at heart, she couldn't help thinking, and he always did the gentlemanly thing and saw her home whenever they were out together. She was desperate for him to find himself a girlfriend as he so deserved one but she knew it was going to take a special kind of girl to be able to deal with him and his medical condition, especially when he got locked on, which sadly was quite often.

As she stood outside the front door in the cool evening breeze she searched inside her bag for her mobile and quickly called Naomi's number. She just wanted to check that she was okay. After a few seconds she heard Naomi's voice on the other end, much to her relief, and they chatted for a minute or two. Naomi said she was fine but utterly exhausted after all that had happened in the day and she was going to bed.

She didn't sound tearful or unduly upset, Emily thought, but the redhead didn't press the issue any further. She was afraid any questioning by her about what went on after she left might start her off on something and it was probably better that Naomi just had a good night's sleep. They said goodnight to each other and Naomi promised to call her first thing in the morning. Putting her phone back in her bag, Emily opened the front door and went into the house. She was planning to go straight to bed herself without stopping to say hello and goodnight to anyone but she had hardly closed the door behind her when her Mum emerged from the living room and spoke to her.

'Hello, love. I thought you were Katie.' A note of sardonic surprise was clearly unmistakeable in her voice despite the weak smile she gave her daughter. 'It's not often we get to see you back here at night, is it? This is a rare honour. What's brought this on?'

Emily quickly weighed up in her mind whether it was worth responding in kind to the pointed barb that her Mum had aimed at her or whether she should simply let it go and ignore it. For some reason, she felt in the mood that evening to take her Mum on in a head to head confrontation. Perhaps her confidence and spirit was at an unusually high level after the events of that day. Maybe it was the stark contrast between Gina and her Mum that suddenly inspired her to stand her ground. Whatever it was, Emily decided that certain things simply had to be said and now seemed to be as good a time as any.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Emily stared at her Mum before walking through to the kitchen. Her mouth had dried up and she was badly in need of some water to aid the flow of words which she sensed were on the point of exploding from within her.

Her Mum followed her in and watched as Emily poured herself a glass of water from the bottle in the fridge and gulped some down greedily.

'Just that you hardly ever sleep here any more, do you? I suppose you're always with that Naomi girl.' Her Mum's accurate guess was announced more as a question than a statement of fact and Emily eagerly took the bait.

'So what? Why's that a problem for you? '

'It's a problem because I told her to stay away from you. I told her you weren't gay and that she should stop screwing you up. Obviously she's just completely ignored me.'

Emily's mother was making a valiant attempt to speak in a very controlled and calm manner to her daughter but her anger and frustration at what she saw as Naomi's wilful disregard of her explicit instructions shone through like a beacon on a dark winter's night. Emily was flabbergasted by her mother's confession, shocked beyond belief but certainly not beyond words.

'What? You had no fucking right to say that to her! How the hell do you know whether I'm gay or not? You hardly even know me. You've got no idea who I am, what I am or what I want.' Emily's words, delivered with passion and venom, seemed to stun her mother whose mouth opened wide in astonishment and she seemed lost for an answer initially before swallowing hard and replying.

'I'm just thinking of you, sweetheart. I'm just worried about you, that's all. I don't think it's what you really want. It's only a phase you're going through, I 'm sure'

'No Mum, it's not a phase! Think about it for a minute. Just try thinking for yourself, for a change, instead of telling everyone around you what to think. How many boyfriends have I had, to your knowledge? A big, fat, round zero, perhaps? Doesn't that tell you something?'

'You're just shy, that's all. It doesn't mean you're gay!' Mrs Fitch sat down on one of the chairs and motioned to Emily to join her but Emily refused and continued to stand, defiantly. 'I just don't want you to get hurt, Em.'

'Why should I get more hurt being with a girl than with a guy?' Emily was really starting to get her teeth into this argument, she felt like she was surfing a wave of righteous indignation that was bubbling away nicely inside her and it was just on the point of rising to the surface and exploding. 'Besides, girls understand what makes another girl happy. Most guys haven't got a **bloody clue**! They're all too wrapped up in themselves most of the time to really appreciate what a girl wants.'

'I'm sure you could find yourself a nice boy. There's plenty out there, love, honestly. There's no need to turn your back on _all_ of them' Emily's mother got up from her chair and started to move towards her daughter to give her a hug but Emily was in no mood to be placated by false and unconvincing attempts at a reconciliation.

'So let me get this right. You would be much happier if I was going out with a boy, just like Katie, eh? Any guy at all, in fact. It wouldn't matter if he was stupid, bone idle, selfish, doing cocaine, knocked me about a bit when I annoyed him, so long as he was a guy and NOT a girl. Right? Well, I'm so sorry I haven't found Mr Perfect, yet but at least I've got the next best thing. I've found Miss Perfect. She's beautiful, clever, kind, sensitive, and passionate and……. most important of all, SHE LOVES ME BACK!'

Emily's Mum looked at her with anxious eyes that were welling up with tears and her voice sounded choked with emotion as she tried one more desperate attempt to reason with her daughter.

'Em, you will always have to explain yourself to other people, you know…'

Emily interrupted her mother before she could develop this spurious argument any further. She knew she was winning the battle and she was keen to administer the final few fatal wounds before walking away as the clear winner.

'Only to people who are narrow-minded and bigoted and I couldn't give a fuck what they think about me! Why should I care about justifying my sexuality to people like them? But of course, that's what you're really worried about, isn't it, Mum?

'What?' Her mother's eyebrows arched in an expression of acute bewilderment and barely concealed anxiety, as if she was afraid of what Emily might come out with next.

'You're absolutely terrified you won't be able to hold your head up high with the neighbours, or your posh friends, or the people you work with, aren't you? You think they'll cut you off if they find out you've brought your daughter up to become a lesbian! Christ, it's pathetic! This is actually all about **you**, isn't it, not _me_ at all! '

Her Mum didn't answer but stared down at the floor in abject silence, as if completely crushed by this latest attack on her integrity and honesty.

'Mum, if that's how you feel, then you need to think seriously about getting some new friends, you know. You need to find some people who aren't quite so quick to be judgemental and intolerant.'

Emily drained the last of the water, put the empty glass down on the table and moved slowly away to walk out of the kitchen. As she got to the doorway she turned round and looked over at her Mum who was still sitting in her chair, her lips pressed unnaturally together as if trying to stifle a cry of despair and clearly struggling to hold back the tears .The redhead had one last parting shot to deliver, one final killer blow to which she hoped her mother would ultimately have no snap or even considered answer.

'Mum, when it comes down to it, if you truly love me as much as you say you do, then the only thing you should ever want for me in my life is that I should be happy. And if being with Naomi makes me happier than anything else in the whole world, which it does, then you should just be really happy for me that I'm with her. It's that simple.'

With that Emily left the kitchen and proceeded to climb the stairs as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion grabbed hold of her and dragged her slowly but steadily to the safe haven of her bedroom, unaware that the mother she'd left behind in the kitchen had collapsed into tears of anguish and frustration.

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	9. Chapter 10

Naomi was already sitting in her favourite spot puffing thoughtfully on a cigarette when Emily came round the corner and spotted her. She crept up slowly and noiselessly behind the blonde girl and waited for just the right moment to surprise her. As Naomi put the cigarette up to her mouth to inhale, Emily passed her hands around the other girl's face, placed them over her eyes and leaned round slightly awkwardly to kiss her gently and sexily full on the lips.

'Jesus! How many fucking times have I told you not to do that, Cook!' said Naomi, keeping a straight face with some difficulty. She knew instantly who it was without needing to look. Even though nobody else would actually dare to kiss her like that anyway, the fact was Emily's kiss was always immediately recognisable. She now felt she knew her girlfriend like the back of her hand and believed she could have picked her out from a whole line up of potential kissers even if she was blindfolded. The contours of her lips, the warmth of her breath, even the taste of her mouth were all too familiar to Naomi - not to mention the smell of her, which was heavenly and frequently intoxicating.

'Like you'd fucking him let him do that!' Emily feigned a look of outrage before beaming at the blonde and sitting down next to her. Naomi smiled back at Emily and imperceptibly moved her body closer to Emily's whilst slipping an arm casually around the redhead's shoulders. Emily responded to her girlfriend's romantic gesture by cuddling up to her and passed her free arm around Naomi's back.

There was something incredibly intimate about cuddling up together like this, thought Emily. Sometimes it made her feel even closer to Naomi than when they were actually having sex. Maybe it was because they were both comfortable cuddling up like this in public – they didn't care if anyone could see them doing it. Emily almost went out of her way nowadays to show her feelings for Naomi in full view of other people. It didn't need to be just their friends who they felt relaxed around any more. Their relationship was common knowledge to all their fellow students by now and hardly caused a ripple of interest or curiosity amongst anyone but the most pervy members of the college. Those students were simply ignored or given an appropriate send off.

'So, what's new?' asked Naomi, offering what remained of her cigarette to Emily who took it with a smile of thanks and inhaled on it delicately.

'Not a lot. You got any idea what this meeting's all about?'

'Not a clue. I hope it's not another one of the director's hair brained ideas,' sighed Naomi, pulling a face as she accepted the cigarette back from Emily.

'What? Another election for President?' giggled Emily. 'Are you going to stand against Cook again? You'll need to do a better job than you did last time!' Emily turned her face away from Naomi briefly to hide her laughter but Naomi could hardly fail to see the redhead's shoulders shaking unmistakeably. She decided she wasn't going to let that piss-take go without a suitable riposte.

'Well, if I did, I'd need to find myself a better second than I managed last time. She was completely crap, wasn't she? Dragged me right down to her level, I thought. I had no chance of winning after how she totally embarrassed me in the hustings!'

The blonde stared right into the redhead's eyes, pressing her lips tightly together in a vain attempt not to burst out laughing but the smile broke out across her face within seconds. The two girls collapsed into fits of laughter almost simultaneously and Emily put both her hands around Naomi's neck and gazed directly into Naomi's fierce blue eyes.

'But you would pick me again, wouldn't you?' she whispered as she slowly moved her mouth towards Naomi's before tantalisingly stopping millimetres away from her lips.

'Of course I would,' said Naomi softly and moved in for the promised kiss which Emily returned greedily and with quiet contentment.

'Oh, leave her alone, you don't know where she's been!' The sarcastic and familiar greeting which they guessed was directed at the pair of them made both girls break off with considerable reluctance. They looked up to see Freddie and Effy approaching them, Effy smiling warmly and Freddie with a cheeky grin on his face.

'Which one of us were you talking to?' asked Naomi, pretending to take offence at this tongue in cheek remark.

'Does it matter?' Freddie said, shrugging his shoulders. He and Effy were noticeably not showing the same degree of closeness and intimacy as the two girls since they were right by the college entrance. They never even held hands, let alone kissed when they were in a stone's throw of the college buildings. Effy wouldn't have stood for it anyway, even if Freddie had wanted to himself. Effy would never have allowed her aloofness and cool emotional detachment be compromised for one second in front of anyone but her closest friends and even that was open to serious doubt.

'Come on, let's go in,' Emily jumped up and hauled Naomi to her feet with her. 'Let's see what shit they've got in store for us this morning.'

The two girls led the way with Effy and Freddie trailing slightly behind them. It would be an exaggeration to describe their feelings about the forthcoming college assembly as those of anticipation and excitement. Usually whenever the college director called the whole school to a general meeting it tended to spell trouble for someone, if not everyone. They wondered with air of vague distraction what the hell was lying in store for them this time.

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All the students filed into the room and moved across either to sit down or stand around in their well established cliques and social groups. A low murmur of general chit chat quickly filled the room, only some of which was speculation as to the possible reason for this gathering. After a few minutes Harriet, the college director, strode purposefully into the room with her faithfully deputy Doug trotting along behind her like a little dog being called to heel. The other teachers followed them in but at a respectful distance and took up their positions randomly behind the director and her trusty deputy.

Doug bellowed out at the top of his voice for everyone to be quiet and a hush slowly descended upon the ranks gathered there. All of them turned their attention away from their own private discussions and fixed stares and gazes of varying degrees of interest and concentration on Harriet as she stepped forward to speak. Her voice was measured and controlled but carried with it an undeniable overtone of menace.

'You will doubtless recall that I informed you recently that this college would be expecting a visit from the OFSTED inspectors in the very near future. That moment has now almost arrived. They will be visiting us next week for two to three days during which time they will be carrying out a variety of inspection exercises…… designed to test whether we have made the improvements required of us after our last visit.'

Harriet paused at this juncture and surveyed the massed ranks of students around her to check that she had their undivided attention. This did seem to be the case and therefore having noted this remarkable fact she carried on with her carefully planned speech.

'I would like to take this opportunity to broadcast a very clear message to you all regarding this forthcoming inspection. THERE WILL BE NO SCREW-UPS! There will be no unforeseeable disasters, no unavoidable accidents and no unfortunate incidents. Do I make myself perfectly clear?'

Murmurs of agreement and some spasmodic nodding of heads could be seen to break out amongst the scattered students, accompanied by a few bemused expressions and half smiles furtively exchanged. She looked around them again, seemingly satisfied for the moment by the reaction her words had produced and continued on her theme.

'The inspectors will largely be involved in meetings and discussions with the teaching staff which will not need to concern you. However they will be sitting in on classes from time to time to observe our teaching methods and, UNFORTUNATELY, they have also expressed a desire to talk to some of you informally. This may be individually or on a group basis, or possibly both. I have been unable to persuade OFSTED that it may be difficult to accommodate that particular request.'

She looked around the room once more and noted with dismay Doug's cheerful, smiling face and Kieran's horrified expression as he puffed out his cheeks. She took a deep breath and moved on with resolute determination to the closing part of her address.

'If any of you **are **asked for your opinions about this college and the education you are receiving at it, I would ask you all to bear in mind the following guidelines very seriously. Be polite, be honest but above all be very aware of what the consequences of a bad assessment might be for the future of this college and for your own continued attendance here!'

Her eyes narrowed sharply as they darted around the room, seemingly searching for someone in particular. Eventually her eyes came to rest on Cook who was sitting next to JJ and she fixed on him a piercing stare which hinted at further words of wisdom intended for him alone.

'Mr Cook. Perhaps you wouldn't mind joining me in my study for a quick chat. I have one or two things I need to go through with you concerning next week's visit in your capacity as Student President.'

Harriet motioned to Cook with a precise beckoning of her head for him to follow her which allowed no room for doubt. After glancing quickly at JJ and the rest of the gang who were in his eye line, he got up and made his way slowly out of the room behind her. He couldn't suppress a bemused expression and a sly grin as he wondered what she might possibly have to say to him.

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	10. Chapter 11

**Author's Note**.

I thought it was about time to introduce a new character into the mix so I hope you like who I've brought in. He's not as yet fully defined in my mind but the basic outline has been decided upon and I think it should lead to some interesting scenes with our established favourites. Please let me know what you think – all reviews are gratefully received!

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Harriet motioned to Cook to sit down in the chair on the other side of her desk as she made herself comfortable in her own high backed, leather, college director's chair. He accepted her invitation without a word and looked across at her with interest and a certain amount of amusement which he just about managed to conceal from her.

Harriet wasted no time in getting right to the point. She intended this to be a very short and straight forward meeting which would leave Cook in no doubt as to where he stood. Fixing a cold, hard stare on the young man sitting opposite, she spoke in precise and clipped tones which commanded his immediate attention.

'I won't beat about the bush, Mr Cook. I will spell it out to you in plain, simple language that even _you _can understand. I will be holding **you** fully responsible for the behaviour of you and all your fellow students during next week's OFSTED visit. If even one of you steps out of line and causes an incident which reflects badly on this college then it's your arse that will be on the line.'

Cook shook his head slowly and smiled at Harriet. He had a feeling something like this might be coming and he intended to stand his ground as far as he could.

'Hey, that's not on! You can't hold me responsible for what anyone else might do. I can't be your permanent watchdog. I can't keep an eye on everyone twenty-four-seven! Even I can't be everywhere at the same time, can I? What am I supposed…….?'

Harriet cut him off before he could finish and her voice went up a notch or two in gravity and intensity.

'Mr Cook! You were elected Student President of this college, much against my own personal wishes, but that's in the past now. Whether I like it or not, the fact remains that you obviously enjoy a certain popularity and respect amongst your fellow students. Therefore it should be quite easy for you to…….. how shall we say?……_put the word around_ that this visit will go off **without a single hitch!**

Do I make myself perfectly clear?'

Cook looked at Harriet thoughtfully and a slight grin hovered around his mouth as he saw the glimpse of an opportunity for himself.

'Alright. Keep your hair on! Let's say I can persuade everyone to toe the line and help you out on this. If the visit goes off quietly without any trouble after I've spread the word, what's in it for me?'

'What's in it for you, Mr Cook, is that you _**won't**_get kicked out of this college! Because if you fail to keep everyone in order and as a result my position here is jeopardised, then trust me, I'll have you thrown out of this college so fast your feet won't even touch the ground.'

Cook decided he had to try and call her bluff. He was in a corner here and he knew it. If he refused to help her out he reckoned she'd bring up the little matter of the riot he engineered after the election. Harriet had only agreed to hush that up because her attempts at vote-rigging had been exposed by Naomi. But she was ruthless enough, he thought, to bring it out into the open again if it suited her. She might be desperate enough to take the risk that it might compromise her own personal integrity.

'You'd never do that! You'd be putting your own job at risk. One word to the inspectors from me about your little vote-rigging scam and you'd be finished.'

'If you do your job properly and keep everyone under control then nothing will need to come out. Not the riot you caused, nor any of the other stunts that you've pulled off in this college.'

Cook raised his eyebrows in bemused surprise and was on the point of challenging Harriet to explain what she meant by her last words when she pre-empted his protests.

'Oh yes, Mr Cook! I've got enough on you to get you suspended at the very least, if not actually thrown out. The evidence may be purely circumstantial but I reckon I can make it stick – if I have to. Just don't make me have to do it. Because, believe you me, if I go down after this inspection, then I will make damn sure that I take you down with me! You can be quite sure of that.'

'OK. Message received and understood. I'll do what I can. But I'm not going to be held responsible if any of the teachers fuck up. That's not down to me.'

'You leave the teaching staff to me. I'll deal with them. You just sort out the students. You're their President, so start acting like one and get them to do what you say.'

They appeared to have finally reached an understanding of sorts, however uncomfortable and painful the process had been getting there. Harriet told Cook he could go and so Cook got up and left her office, turning round at the door to give her a knowing look and the semblance of a wink before he disappeared through out of her office.

As Cook walked away from the college director's room, he was thinking furiously about the task he had been charged with carrying out. On the face of it, he told himself, he ought not to be too worried about his chances of pulling it off. He knew only too well he was still hugely popular with all his fellow students, most of whom would accept his demands with barely a word of protest or question. There was however one small problem which might need some serious consideration, one potential thorn in his side which he would have to handle with extreme care. And, as luck would have it, who did he suddenly spy only a few yards away from him right then but the aforementioned problem? A certain Tom Spencer.

Tom Spencer, or Spence as he was known to his supporters and trusted cohorts, was a first year student who had arrived at Roundview College amidst a blaze of publicity. He had been the top dog at his secondary school and had brought with him a gang of 'yes men' and hangers on who did his every bidding and hung on to his every word. Spence had quickly become the most popular of the new arrivals and his natural charm and quirky style had already proved quite a hit with the hair and beauty blonde brigade.

Not that Cook had lost any of his appeal or his influence over the rest of the students – far from it. He was still Che Guevara in the eyes of many of them, still Jack the Lad who many students blindly followed or wanted to be like. No, Cook was still undeniably Numero Uno at Roundview.

It was perhaps more a case of Spencer being the new flavour of the month and, as such, Cook viewed him with a certain amount of suspicion and wariness. He'd been keeping a watchful eye on Spencer ever since his arrival and was ready to pounce on him if he showed signs of getting too big for his boots. Cook wasn't ready to move over and let a younger rival take on his position as the Big Cheese – not even close to it.

So as Cook saw Spencer walking towards him, accompanied by a few of his favoured acolytes, he couldn't help but be suspicious at his sudden appearance after his meeting with Harriet. Cook wondered if Spencer had been intentionally hanging around waiting for him to emerge from the director's study. Cook didn't have to wait long to find out.

'Hey, Cook! How's it going? '

'Spence,' Cook acknowledged Spencer's greeting with a curt and perfunctory nod of his head.

'So what did our glorious leader want with you? Are you going to have to carry her bags all next week? Or are you going to be giving the inspectors a personal tour of the college facilities?'

Spencer smiled as he contemplated Cook very closely, looking for any tell-tale signs of Cook's mood and attitude following his meeting with Harriet. Spencer was an intelligent lad who didn't miss much. He had read quite a bit about body language and was doing psychology A level at the college, so he liked to think he could read people reasonably well. However he had to admit that Cook was not the easiest of people to read and he did respect Cook as a formidable character and the heartbeat of the student body.

'She just wanted to run through a few things the inspectors would want to talk to me about. You know, student representation stuff, all that sort of bollocks. They always like to meet the Student President to find out what he thinks can be done to improve things.'

'So, that's all, then? Nothing more than that? I thought it looked like Harriet was going to tear into you about something. She sounded seriously pissed off when she asked you to go and see her.'

'You've got an overactive imagination, Spence. The director and I are fine. We're big mates, you know. We're always round each other's place, having tea together.'

Spencer laughed at Cook's little joke and his mates all chuckled along with him, taking their lead from Spencer. He debated whether to press Cook any further. He knew it was something important to do with the OFSTED visit that concerned Cook alone. He had more than a sneaking suspicion Harriet wanted to tell Cook it was going to be his job to oversee the whole thing from the students' perspective. He thought he'd give it one last try at squeezing some information out of Cook though he didn't have much expectation of success. Cook would surely be too smart to give anything away.

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'So, what do you reckon to this OFSTED visit, Cook? Sounds like it could be a laugh, doesn't it? A chance to have a bit of fun at the college director's expense, d'you think? What do you say, Cook? Fancy joining forces with me to cause a bit of a stink on the quiet?'

'It all sounds a bit childish to me, Spencer. Not really my style, you know. I'll leave the boys games to you and your team of children's entertainers, if that's all right with you. I've got more important things on my mind.' Cook knew he had to play for time with Spencer. He was starting to become anxious about the problems that this guy might cause him next week.

'Fair enough. It's your choice. Just thought I might cut you in on a bit of fun, that's all. What's on your mind, then, Cookie?'

Cook visibly bristled at the sound of Spencer calling him Cookie. Only close friends and people to whom he generously granted express permission were allowed to call him by that name. He thought very briefly of clocking him one right there and then smack on his pointed chin but decided to bite his lip instead. He knew Spencer was doing it deliberately to provoke a reaction out of him. Some time pretty soon, Cook decided, Spencer would get a right old kicking from him which would put the cheeky little bastard well and truly in his place. But now was not the right time, he knew, so he contented himself with a few well chosen verbal put downs instead.

'Big boys stuff, Spencer. Well out of your league. You stick to the kindergarten stuff and leave the grown up shit to me.'

With that Cook moved on, leaving a smiling but thoughtful Spencer behind him, watching Cook strut away in his inimitable style. Spencer concluded that it had not been a completely fruitless conversation. He felt absolutely certain that Cook was hiding something about his meeting with Harriet.

Cook's refusal to go along with his idea of having a bit of fun next week and in particular his mocking of Spence's suggestion as childish and not worthy of his attention spoke volumes to Spencer. He reckoned that Harriet had somehow put a gun to Cook's head and that Cook had had to agree to make sure the visit went off smoothly. He just needed to get confirmation of his suspicions and then, if he was right, the game could well and truly begin. He could set in motion the process of dismantling Cook's unchallenged position in the college. Soon, Spencer thought, there's going to be a new Daddy around here. Cook, my old mate, your time's up..

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	11. Chapter 12

**Author's Note**.

It seems the new character was generally well received judging by one or two of the comments I got on the last chapter for which many thanks! You will be hearing a lot more of him as you will gather from reading this next chapter. Hope you enjoy it and please keep the reviews coming!

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Cook's concentration in his morning classes was considerably less than it would normally have been. Given that it was patchy at the best of times, this resulted in him taking in next to nothing of what the teachers were banging on about for the last couple of hours. So it was a huge relief when the final lesson ended and he could get away from the minor distractions of educational studies and focus on the matter in hand – Harriet's ultimatum and the as yet imprecise threat posed by Spencer.

He made his way out of the college building in virtual silence, accompanied by JJ who was rabbiting on about something or other which Cook was barely listening to. JJ eventually noticed that his mate seemed distracted and unusually silent and asked him what was up as they went out through the entrance and started moving towards the steps. Naomi, Emily and Katie had all caught up with the two boys by that time so there was a small audience around him when he turned his attention to JJ's question.

'Cook's got a bit on his mind, JJ. Slightly delicate matter. Needs careful handling, you know,' he replied, rather mysteriously, in JJ's opinion.

'Is this anything to do with what the director wanted to see you about?' Naomi looked at Cook quizzically, with the hint of a smile suggesting itself around the corners of her mouth.

'Got it in one, Naomikins. Our beloved leader's put me rather in the shit. Potentially, at least.'

'How come?' Emily exchanged a swift glance with Naomi before they all turned their attention on Cook who looked surprisingly serious and pensive. This was not the normal Cook they were used to seeing and they were all intrigued to find out what could have made him look so concerned.

'I've been told I've got to make sure nothing kicks off from the student side of things during the OFSTED visit. It's all on my head. If anything happens which screws up the inspection then I'm fucked.'

JJ whistled softly in astonishment and the three girls looked at each other with raised eyebrows and meaningful glances. 'Shit. What are you going to do?' JJ asked the question that was on everyone's lips.

'Don't know, JJ. I've got to give it a lot of thought. This could be tricky.'

'Why?' said Emily, with an expression of mild confusion. 'If you just tell everyone not to fuck about while the inspectors are here, then that's sorted. Everyone will do as you say, won't they? They won't want to lose you as President.'

'Maybe. Or maybe it's not that simple.' Cook was reluctant to give too much away about his very real concerns on the Spencer front until he'd properly thought things through. Besides, the germ of an idea was beginning to form in his mind about how he might take care of Spencer and he needed to explore whether it could be a runner or not. For that, he needed to somehow get Katie on her own without causing any suspicion which he knew would not be easy with the rest of the gang around right now.

'Anyway, nothing for you guys to worry about. Cook will take care of things, have no fear.' He was back to his blustering, boastful best and demonstrated his apparent lack of concern by making a grab for JJ, pulling him to the ground and ruffling his friend's hair with wild abandon as he sat astride him triumphantly. JJ tried valiantly to fight Cook off as the stronger lad laughed gloriously in his mate's face. The girls smiled at the pair of them, shook their heads in a display of collective pity and wandered off, leaving them to continue their unequal struggle.

'I suppose you two are going over to Naomi's, are you?' asked Katie, with more than a hint of resignation in her voice.

'Well, I was thinking about inviting Naomi over to ours, but somehow I don't think she'll be particularly welcome, do you?' Emily wasn't going to mince her words on the subject of Naomi's standing in her family's eyes. Her mother had barely spoken to her since their recent frank exchange of views.

'Well, you can hardly be surprised, Em. Mum told me what you said to her.'

'Yeah, well, something had to be said. At least she knows where we both stand now. The ball's in her court. If she wants to be reasonable about me and Naomi, then that's fine. It's up to her.'

Naomi smiled at Emily, put her arm round the redhead's shoulder and gave her an affectionate squeeze. 'You could help, you know, Katie. You could have a word with your Mum for us. Try to make her see that I'm not an alien with one eye in the middle of my forehead?'

'I have tried. She won't listen to me. She just accuses me of being on Em's side and going against her. It's no good.' Katie was being truthful – she had broached the subject with their Mum in the last day or two when Emily wasn't at home but she just ran up against a brick wall on the subject. Their Mum had become even more intransigent on her daughter's relationship with Naomi than she had ever been herself, it seemed to Katie.

Emily sighed deeply in frustration and pulled Naomi closer to her as they both lengthened their stride noticeably and walked on ahead of Katie, talking quietly to each other. Katie frowned in exasperation but chose to let them go on ahead. There was nothing she could do or say which was going to make her sister feel any better about the situation at home. She might as well just leave them all to it and hope it would resolve itself – somehow. But she suspected it would be a case of the irresistible force meeting the immoveable object with her Mum and her sister. Who was going to crack first?

The sound of her mobile ringing interrupted Katie's speculations on the battle of wills raging at home and dragged her back to reality. She was surprised to see that it was Cook ringing and it was with a slight curiosity that she answered his call. It was a very rare event indeed for him to be calling her. What the hell could he want? And why ring her on her mobile when he could have spoken to her a few minutes ago? She was intrigued but very suspicious at the same time. She had a gut feeling she wasn't going to be turning cartwheels at the end of a conversation with Cook.

'What do you want, Cook?' Katie wasn't in the mood for any preliminary pleasantries with him.

'Oh, that's a nice greeting, Katie! It's lovely to hear your voice too.'

'So what's so important you couldn't tell me a few minutes ago? Why ring me on the mobile?'

'Well, Katie, I need to speak to you now but on your own. Just the two of us, right? It's very important that no-one else knows. Top secret, you understand? Can you meet me in the pub in five minutes?'

Katie was even more curious than at the start of this increasingly cryptic conversation. Even though Cook was talking in melodramatic riddles, it was probably going to be the usual load of old bollocks from him, anyway.

'What are you on about, Cook? Sounds like a load of old crap to me? Why do you need to see _me_? '

'All will be explained shortly. Just meet me in the pub. I'll even buy you a couple of drinks. How's about that for an offer? You're not going to turn down free drinks are you? That would really be a first!'

Cook's little dig at her touched a nerve but Katie decided to take him up on his offer. It wasn't as if she had anything else planned especially that afternoon. Her boyfriend was busy all day and the other alternatives – studying on her own at home or catching up with Emily and Naomi to hang around with them - didn't exactly appeal to her. She would indulge Cook for an hour or so and get some drinks out of him as compensation.

'OK. I'll see you there as soon as I can.'

'Good. See you there then.' Cook rang off abruptly and Katie was left wondering what the hell this could be about. She made her way over to the pub at a leisurely pace, running through a number of possibilities in her mind as she walked but ultimately rejecting them all as too ridiculous and fanciful, even for Cook.

She soon reached the pub and walked straight in, spotting Cook after a cursory glance around the popular drinking hole. . He was at the bar talking to his uncle and she could see that he had already lined up drinks for the two of them on the bar. She walked over to him and he turned round to face her with a boyish grin on his face.

'Katie! What took you so long? Get that down your neck!'

Cook passed her one of the drinks he had already ordered in anticipation and motioned to one of the tables further into the centre of the bar. She followed him and they sat down at the table. He downed a good half pint of the cold, refreshing lager before she could say a word and put the half empty glass on to the table with a bang.

'So what's this all about, Cook? Why the cloak and dagger stuff? Why do you need to speak to me?'

'Well Katie, I think I might need to ask you for a special favour.'

Katie looked at Cook, aghast at the suggestion that she should do anything for him

'You've got to be joking! Me do you a favour? Are you out of your mind? Like what?'

'It's this OFSTED visit next week. There's only one potential problem that might give me a bit of grief. Everyone else I can sort out, no sweat. But Spencer could be an almighty pain in the backside for me, you know what I mean?'

Katie considered Cook for a second or two and could tell he was deadly serious. 'Yeah, possibly, he might be. So where do I fit in? What the fuck can I do about it?'

'He fancies the arse off you, you know it and I know it. We all know that for a fact. He's made it bloody obvious from the day he started at college. Right?'

Katie smiled in obvious self satisfaction and said, 'Well, who can blame him, Cook? I'm pretty irresistible to most good looking guys, you know.'

Cook had hoped that playing on Katie's vanity would be a winning ticket and the early signs were promising. Now that he had got her interest he had to play on her widely recognised sense of self importance.

'Of course you are, babe. I reckon you've got Spencer well and truly under your spell.

He's ready for the taking and you're just the girl to do it.'

'How do you mean?' Christ, he's talking in fucking riddles again, Katie thought.

'Look, Katie, I need to find out if he and his Neanderthal cronies are planning anything for next week. You know, any little tricks or pranks which could fuck up the whole inspection and where the blame could be laid at my door by Harriet'

He looked closely at Katie to see if she was following him and was relieved to see that she appeared to be taking in every word he was saying. You never quite knew with her though, he thought. Often she gave you the impression there was less to her than met the eye.

'I have to put someone on the inside of his pathetic little band of wankers. I need someone really smart, really clever to get close enough to him for a while to find out if he's lining anything up to get at me and take me down. You're the only person who could pull it off, babe. I couldn't trust anyone else not to balls it up.'

Cook was really pushing the boat out with the flattering compliments. He knew he had to appeal to her vanity and her ego. If he was to persuade her to help him out he had to make her think she was his chosen one above all others, he had to put the stupid girl on the sort of fucking pedestal where she always thought she belonged. But would it work? Had he gone overboard with the flannel and been too obvious? Was she bright enough to smell a rat or would she fall for it hook, line and sinker?

'How close would I have to get? I mean, just what _are_ you asking me to do?' Katie was amused at the prospect at playing up to Spencer who she had to admit she found pretty fit, for someone a year younger than herself. The idea was tempting her the more she considered it.

'Katie, I'll leave that to your discretion. Remember, I just need to know if he's planning anything and if so, what. You don't need to shag him if you don't want to. But you're a woman of the world, Katie. I wouldn't dream of telling you how to get what you want out of a guy. I'm sure you can handle him any way you want. Will you do it?'

Katie looked at Cook in silence for a few seconds before she answered him and she narrowed her eyes perceptibly as she spoke in very precise tones.

'What's in it for me if I agree to do it? What's my reward, Cook? Why should I help you, after all?'

He knew she would expect something in return. Katie rarely did anything out of the goodness of her heart, to help a friend, or at least a friend such as Cook. He was prepared to discuss some form of compensation for any inconvenience caused, although in his mind he reckoned she would find it a blast and would go as far as she wanted to with that little fuck Spencer.

'What do you want, Katie? What can I do for you?' Cook smiled at her suggestively and gave her one of his lecherous looks which seemed to work well on most of the girls in college but was sadly wasted on the girl sitting opposite him now. He was taken completely by surprise by her answer which came right out of left field in his eyes.

'If you can help get me Freddie back, then I'll do it, Cook. But that's the condition. Otherwise it's no deal. Understood? Think about it.'

Having spelt out the terms of her participation in Cook's master plan, Katie stood up without any warning, drank the remains of her drink and moved swiftly towards the pub exit, leaving a pensive and bemused Cook behind her.

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	12. Chapter 13

**Author's Note**.

After the relatively incident-packed last few chapters, I thought it was time to slow things down just a touch and re-introduce a bit of romantic reflection again with Naomi & Emily. Hope you enjoy it and please keep the reviews coming!

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Emily was lying on her back on the bed next to Naomi thinking long and hard. It had been a few minutes since either of them had spoken and she was taking advantage of the unaccustomed silence between the two of then to ponder the situation as she saw it.

Emily was worried about her girlfriend and had been for quite a few days now. She just couldn't put her finger on exactly what the problem but she knew something wasn't right with Naomi. She had been unusually quiet recently, even a bit distant and remote, the redhead thought. It wasn't as though they had had a huge row or had fallen out over something. No, it definitely wasn't that obvious and clear-cut.

They still got on brilliantly, Emily was convinced of that; they still said they loved each other at least once every single day and their appetite for each other physically was as strong as it had ever been, if that very afternoon was anything to go by! But Emily sensed that something was troubling Naomi. She just wasn't her usual feisty, bubbly, sharp-witted self – not yet a full blown pale imitation of her normal persona but getting close to it. But the blonde girl had seemed distracted, more pensive and withdrawn than Emily had ever seen her before and Emily wanted to get to the bottom of it. Right now, she thought, because whatever the problem was, not knowing and not being able to help was slowly driving her mad.

'What's up, Naomi?' she said softly, turning her head towards her girlfriend. Emily could feel her stir gently against her side and the blonde turned her body round to face Emily with a quizzical look

'Nothing. Why do you ask?' Naomi's voice didn't betray any irritation or annoyance at Emily's question, just puzzlement, as if she considered it a peculiar one for her girlfriend to ask.

'I know something's up, Naomi. I know you so well now, I can tell when something's on your mind. What is it? Is it something I've said or done?'

Emily was sure it wasn't but she wanted a hundred percent reassurance all the same that Naomi's strange mood of late wasn't down to her in any way.

'Of course not! I'd tell you if it was, wouldn't I?' Naomi made a pretty decent attempt at a smile and her blue eyes were sparkling right back at the redhead who was relieved to see the sign of genuine warmth and affection that her smile and those eyes made.

Emily smiled back at her broadly and nodded mischievously, taking Naomi's spontaneous and comforting response as an invitation to snuggle up closer to her and kiss her softly on the lips.

'Well, you've never held back much before when I've pissed you off, that's for sure!'

'Bloody hell, there's no need to go overboard. Besides, that was all a long time ago, now. It's been ages since we had a really good all guns blazing row.' Naomi feigned righteous indignation and Emily pulled a face at her, still grinning from ear to ear.

'So what's the matter if it's not me, then? I'm worried about you, seriously. I can tell something's up. I care about you, in case you've forgotten, quite a lot actually. I want to help, if I can.'

'I know. I haven't meant to shut you out. It's just that……I don't know……I suppose it's my problem, not yours or ours.' Naomi sighed heavily more in frustration than irritation. She wasn't sure if she was ready to try to explain how confused and indecisive she was feeling, even to the person who meant more to her than anyone in the whole world.

'A problem shared is a problem halved,' suggested Emily helpfully, but Naomi just threw her head back and roared with laughter.

'Jesus! Where did you get that one -out of a Fortune Cookie?'

'I know, that wasn't _meant_ to sound quite as shit as it came out.' Emily joined in the laughter and the two of them chuckled for a while, as they put their arms round each other and hugged each other closely until they eventually stopped laughing.

Emily decided to be bold and ask what she reckoned was a pretty leading question, one which might persuade Naomi to open up to her or equally might have the opposite effect and make her clam up again.

'Is it do with your Dad?' she asked gently and stroked Naomi's face gently with her fingers as if to reassure her girlfriend that she was there for her if she needed her.

Naomi looked at Emily in silence and then, after a moment's hesitation, she nodded. The smile that had lit up her face beforehand suddenly vanished as swiftly as it had appeared, to be replaced by an expression of sadness and the tell tale Naomi habit of her biting her lip at moments of stress and uncertainty.

'Yeah. I just feel so confused. I don't know what to make of him turning up like that.'

'So, was it really awkward and uncomfortable?' Emily had been dying to know more about what had happened after she left the three of them together but hadn't dared to ask in case it upset Naomi. But maybe things will be better between them if everything could now come out into the open. She could only help Naomi or be a true friend to her if she knew what she was dealing with, Emily reasoned to herself.

'Not exactly. It was just bloody weird. I couldn't work out why he had come to see us.'

'Didn't he say why he had called?' Emily agreed with Naomi that her Dad's unexpected arrival was perplexing.

'No. He just said he wanted to see us…… well, I got the impression he came to see me, really, not me and Mum.'

'How do you feel about that?' Emily was gently, ever so delicately, trying to get Naomi to explore her thoughts and feelings. She was hoping it might do the blonde some good to get the emotions out of her system if she had been bottling things up ever since that day.

'I don't know. I feel so confused. Before he turned up I never gave him a second's thought. It's been so many years since he buggered off and left us to fend for ourselves. You know what it's like…..out of sight, out of mind.'

'Now who's quoting Confucius?!' Emily gave Naomi a warm and reassuring half smile and her girlfriend returned the gesture, sticking her tongue out at the redhead for good measure.

'Touche!' she acknowledged. 'But you know what I mean. He'd been out of my life for so long I'd stopped thinking about him, stopped caring about how he was…… stopped wondering what he was doing or where he was.'

'How do you feel about him now, then?

'I don't know, that's the trouble. I can't help thinking he must have had a reason for coming to see us out of the blue like that. But I can't guess what it is. It's really bugging me.'

'Maybe he was finally feeling guilty about what he did to you and your Mum and wanted to apologise…..in some small way.' Emily wasn't terribly convinced about this as an explanation and Naomi clearly shared her suspicions.

'But why turn up _now_? It doesn't make any sense. I just need to know what made him come to see us, even if I never see him again. I want to know why he thought he could waltz back into our life like that without a word of warning. What gave him the right to fuck up our life all over again?'

Emily could feel as well as see the anger, the confusion and the torment that Naomi was putting herself through and wrapped her arms around the blonde who started to cry in her arms. She held her tightly for a little while, comforting her, telling her everything was going to be all right and stroking her hair until Naomi's sobs began to subside. She wanted to help more than by just being an ever present source of comfort and support. She had an idea and she thought this was the right time to put it to Naomi.

'Look, Naomi. Why don't you go and see him and just ask him straight out? You know where he's living, don't you?'

Naomi nodded. 'I don't want to see him on my own.' Emily could see she was very determined on that point but the redhead didn't want to leave it there.

'Well, ask your Mum if she'll go with you. Surely she's as curious as you are to find out the real reason why he came back, isn't she?'

Naomi shook her head immediately, almost as if she had already long since considered this option and had dismissed it as a complete non-starter.

'She's convinced Dad came to see me, not her. But she doesn't have a clue why any more than I do. Or at least if she does, she's not telling me.'

'How about if **I **went with you?'

Emily was trying furiously to think on her feet here. She couldn't imagine how her presence would help Naomi; she knew that these issues that had so obviously caused such inner turmoil in her girlfriend's mind had their roots way back in the past, long before the two of them had first clapped eyes on each other. But she was desperate to help, she was desperate to show Naomi how much she adored her. She would do anything for her, including being right by her side if she was prepared to confront her demons from the past.

Naomi stared at Emily in shock and was genuinely taken aback by the redhead's offer.

'Do you mean that? Would you really come with me? I mean, why would you want to get dragged into something like that? It could be really horrible.'

'Of course, I mean it. I want to help you. I want you to cheer up and be your old self again and if this thing with your Dad is getting in the way of us having fun like we used to, then I'll help in any way I can. Besides, it might make it easier for you to speak to him with someone else there who isn't personally involved'

Naomi was visibly touched by Emily's offer to go with her to confront her Dad and she pulled the redhead towards her and kissed her with more passion and feeling than she would have imagined she would have been capable of a few minutes ago. It never ceased to surprise and confound Naomi just how selfless and loyal Emily could be whenever a friend of hers was in trouble. It made her feel rather ashamed of how she had been keeping her feelings about her Dad to herself ever since his visit instead of confiding in Emily more readily.

'That would be so brilliant. Are you really sure you're happy to come along? It's asking a hell of a lot, I know.'

'No problem, honey! Just let me know when and I'll be ready with my boxing gloves case things turn out a bit rough!'

Both the girls fell back on the bed giggling their heads off at the image of the tiny, small framed, fragile figure of Emily threatening to cut up rough and get nasty with Naomi's giant of a father if he dared to upset 'her little girl'.

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	13. Chapter 14

**Author's Note**.

I thought it was about time I got all the characters together in one place so that's what I've done towards the end of the chapter. Hope you enjoy this update and please keep the reviews coming! They are very much appreciated and inspire me to keep on writing.

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Katie was sitting in the coffee bar on her own enjoying a strong cup of coffee and thinking long and hard about the conversation she'd had the other day with Cook. She was mulling over in her mind what she really wanted to get out of the position of power and influence that he had so unexpectedly offered her.

She knew that she didn't want Freddie back on any terms – she was adamant about that. She could never forgive him for screwing Effy behind her back and he had made it abundantly clear to her that she would only ever be second choice behind Effy in his eyes. Katie had never been a 'first reserve' for any boy in her life and she wasn't going to make an exception now. No, Freddie and she were finished but that didn't stop her from hating Effy for having stolen him away from her. Revenge was very much to the forefront of her mind. Katie knew how to hold a grudge and had the necessary patience to bide her time before finally getting her own back.

The only thing that would make her feel better about herself for losing out on Freddie would be if she could see to it that Effy wouldn't stay with him either. That's why when Cook had asked her what would be the price for her co-operation in his scheming against Spencer she had stipulated getting Freddie back for her. If he was to succeed, and God knows how he was going to manage it, Katie had no intention of taking her ex back. She just wanted to see Effy suffer too and then give Freddie a taste of his own rejection medicine to boot.

But the idea of getting up close and personal with Spencer was definitely an attractive proposition for her. She knew he fancied her, he'd made that pretty clear from the moment he had first met her, and Katie was always very aware of the effect she had on boys around her. She could always spot it when boys undressed her with their eyes as they wandered all over every inch of her gorgeous body. She picked up easily on the occasionally subtle flirting and the normally unsubtle chat up lines that they tried out in their conversations with her. She could sense the electricity in the air that she generated whenever she paraded around in front of them, showing off all her assets.

Tom Spencer would be quite a catch, she reckoned, but it wouldn't be a straightforward task. He wouldn't be putty in her hands like many of the other boys in college would have been. From what she had seen and heard of him so far, Spencer was very wary of getting too involved with any one girl. Sure, he wouldn't turn down an offer of easy uncomplicated sex if it was presented to him on a plate, but he didn't seem interested in having a girlfriend, as such. He came across as far more interested in enhancing his budding reputation as the new Pretender to the throne of the Big Cheese amongst the students of Roundview College. A close relationship with any girl could be seen as a threat to his struggle for power and authority - that was the perceived view around the college.

Katie was stirring the spoon aimlessly around in her half empty coffee cup as these thoughts were flying around in her head when suddenly a tap on the window pane next to her broke her fierce concentration and made her look up. Tom Spencer was smiling warmly at her from outside and Katie smiled sweetly back and waved a hand at him to beckon him to join her. She became acutely aware of a slight shiver of pleasure running through her body as he entered the shop and her heart started beating just a touch faster than normal.

'Hi Tom,' said Katie. 'How are you doing? Come and join me.'

'I'm great. How are you Katie? Are you all on your own? No boyfriend in tow?'

'Not at the moment. He's away all week on some stupid training camp. I've been left all alone, I'm afraid.' She flashed her big wide eyes up at Tom who sat down opposite her at the table and ordered himself a coffee.

'A girl like you should never have to be drinking on her own, Katie. Where are the rest of your many admirers, then? Surely they can't all be too busy to spend some time with you?

Tom knew by sight as well as by reputation Cook's intimate circle of friends and had heard on the college grapevine about the Katie, Freddie, Effy and Cook 'ménage a quatre'. He recognised that Katie had become slightly isolated within the group since the start of term and he was counting on exploiting her likely feelings of insecurity and loneliness in his grand master plan. He could spot someone who was desperate to be loved and appreciated a mile off and he knew he was looking at one such girl right now.

'I know, Tom. It's terrible isn't it? No one cares about me any more. They're all paired, loved up and totally wrapped up in each other - Freddie and Effy, Thomas and Panda,…….. Ems and Naomi.' The last pairing was acknowledged reluctantly and in a much lower voice than the others.

'Ah yes, your twin sister and our blonde political activist. They make a very sweet couple, don't you think?' Tom grinned as he sipped at his piping hot coffee and winked at Katie playfully. He didn't think this was the right time or place to admit that he was seriously turned on by the thought of her sister's relationship with Naomi. He had learned long ago that some things are better left unsaid.

'Hmmm. I suppose so. Ems is, like, totally infatuated with her. I might as well not exist any more. I hardly see her these days. They're always together like they're joined at the hip.' Katie frowned as she responded to Spencer's deliberately mischievous quip and she spectacularly failed to keep a note of self-pity and sadness out of her voice.

'Sounds like you're badly in need of some attention and some tlc, Katie. Is there anything I can do to help?'

'Maybe. What have you got in mind, Tom?' Katie was keen to seize the opening that Tom seemed to be presenting to her for them to spend some time together. If Cook was to agree to her side of the deal then it would be as well for her to make a start on moving in on Spencer.

'Well, my brother's band's playing a gig tonight and I was thinking of going over to see them. Why don't you come along? Look, here's a flyer about it.' Spencer reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a load of leaflets, passing a handful of them over to Katie.

'That would be great, Tom. Thanks. I haven't had a good night out for such a long time. I could really do with one to cheer me up'

'Good. It's agreed, then. Mention it to your friends if you like. They'll all be welcome, the more than the merrier.'

'OK, I'll do that. I'm sure all of them will be up for it.'

Katie was pleased with the outcome of this afternoon's unexpected meeting with Spencer. She had made plenty of eye contact with him during their conversation and had also made a point of smiling sweetly at him all the time which she noticed had been fully reciprocated by Spencer. She reckoned the bait had been set and it would just be a case of gently reeling him in later that evening.

She felt a frisson of excitement course through her veins as she said goodbye to Spencer and left the coffee shop. 'It was just like old times,' she thought. 'If you've got it, you never really lose it,' she smiled to herself with a sense of smug self-satisfaction. 'And clearly, girl, you've still got what it takes.'

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The walls were throbbing with the hypnotic sound of thumping music as the DJ on the small stage right at the back of the club played one song after another with barely a discernible break in between each number. The bright strobe lighting bounced off the ceiling and the perfect synchronicity and the heaving mass of youth in the middle of the vast dance floor were slowly working themselves up into a controlled frenzy, seemingly hell bent on oblivion.

Naomi and Emily were taking a breather, having been dancing their arses off non-stop for the last twenty minutes. They were each knocking back huge gulps of mineral water from plastic bottles, the sweat of their feverish exertions making the hair stick to the sides of their faces. Emily had her eyes fixed firmly on Katie who was still in the middle of the floor, dancing suggestively with Tom Spencer. The two of them were laughing and smiling at each other and Katie was going through her entire repertoire of well rehearsed dirty dancing moves, wriggling up and down in front of Spencer who was cheering her every step.

Naomi could see that Emily was far from amused by her sister's rather too unsubtle flirting and leant closer to the redhead to whisper in her ear.

'Since when has Katie been keen on Spence?' she asked with a knowing look at Emily who shook her head in a gesture of obvious annoyance.

'No idea. I don't know what the fuck she's playing at. She's making a right idiot of herself.'

Naomi put her arm around Emily's waist in a show of sympathy and understanding and said, 'Still, you've got to admit, he's a big improvement on the one she's got at the moment. At least Spencer's got a brain on him as well as being quite fit.'

Emily pulled back from Naomi's arm and looked at the blonde with an extremely distressed expression.

'What? You mean you fancy him?' Her voice betrayed the full extent of her bitter disappointment

'No, I didn't say that, Ems. I just said he's intelligent as well as being quite good looking. That doesn't mean I fancy him. Don't put words in my mouth!'

Emily still looked upset and took another swig of water and avoided eye contact with Naomi, glancing back at the dance floor instead.

'Emily! I'm with you, okay? I'm not interested in anyone else, male or female. But that doesn't mean I have to find all guys physically repulsive.'

Emily turned her head back towards Naomi and looked up at the taller girl with an expression that revealed her instant regret at her overreaction to Naomi's remark.

'I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Katie's just got me wound up.'

'After all, I bet there are one or two girls here who you think are pretty hot.' Naomi fixed a mischievous stare on Emily, pressing her lips firmly together to prevent a huge smile from breaking out. Emily sniggered back at the blonde and leant back against Naomi's warm, shapely body and allowed Naomi's hand to pass around her tiny waist once more.

'Well, now you mention it, I haven't been able to take my eyes off that girl who's been talking to JJ for the last ten minutes.'

Naomi followed Emily's gaze over to the side of the dance hall and burst out laughing when she saw the spitting image of Ugly Betty, complete with braces and unfeasibly large glasses, deep in animated conversation with a plainly terrified looking JJ who appeared to be pinned up against the wall. Effy and Freddie were standing just s few feet away from the pair of them, equally killing themselves laughing at JJ's nervousness and discomfort.

Back on the dance floor, Panda and Thomas had joined Katie and Spencer and were soon throwing themselves about to the beat of the music with considerable energy and vigour. Pandora was holding centre stage, as usual, as she gave full expression to her very personal, idiosyncratic dancing style. She knew all the right moves to all the songs better than anyone else but sadly the moves hardly ever came out in the right order. Thomas was torn between trying to match Panda step by uncoordinated step and just doing his own thing without trying to follow her. Even Emily seemed to forget Katie for a few minutes as she allowed herself to be gloriously entertained by Panda's show-stopping performance.

JJ finally managed to tear himself away from the attentions of Ugly Betty and rejoined Freddie and Effy who couldn't help smiling at the poor guy as he came over to them.

'I see you've pulled, JJ,' said Effy. 'Who's the lucky girl?'

'Jesus! I thought she'd never leave me alone,' replied JJ, puffing out his cheeks in a huge sigh of relief. 'She said she recognised me from the clinic but I don't remember having seen her there.'

'She seemed very keen on you, J,' said Freddie, forcing himself to put on a very serious face. 'Perhaps you should give her a chance. You might like her when you get to know her properly.'

'I don't think so, Freddie. She's a bit too intense and serious for my liking. Quite highly strung, I think. High maintenance, you know.' JJ appeared to be in deadly earnest as he gave this massive character assassination of the young girl who'd been all over him like a rash for the last ten minutes.

'Fuck me! _She_'s too intense and highly strung?' Freddie whistled in astonishment. 'Well, maybe they've just let her out for the evening, you know. Time off for good behaviour. She probably has to be back in her hospital bed by midnight.'

Effy couldn't prevent a snigger coming out and JJ nodded sheepishly at the clear implication of Freddie's sarcastic remarks. He looked around him and waved shyly at Emily and Naomi and moved over to chat to them, leaving Freddie and Effy on their own.

'Hi girls,' he said. Having a good time?'

'Not as good as you, clearly,' said Naomi, tongue very firmly in cheek. Emily turned a sympathetic look towards JJ and said, 'Poor JJ, you really need to find yourself a girlfriend, don't you?'

'It would be nice. But I'm not sure this is the best place to find one though. It's really difficult to get to know a girl when you can hardly hear yourself speak. Mind you, Katie appears to be doing OK.'

Emily pulled a face and the three of them instinctively looked over to the dance floor where Katie and Spencer had stopped dancing and were now slowly making their way through the seething masses of sweat drenched, punch drunk students. They waved at Emily, Naomi and JJ but didn't come over to them but continued to walk towards one of the exits.

As they made their way out of the dance hall, Cook stared long and hard at Katie and nodded at her when she looked over towards him, affording himself the luxury of a wink as well once he was satisfied that it couldn't be seen by Spencer. Katie returned Cook's gaze and winked back at him. None of this mysterious, silent display of communication had gone unnoticed by the others who were all puzzled by this bizarre exchange between two people who weren't exactly known for being on close winking terms.

'What the fuck was all that about, Ems?' And what's Katie doing with Spencer?'

Freddie was concerned at the sight of Spencer getting decidedly friendly with one of the gang. He was well aware that Cook didn't trust the cocky first year student as far as he could throw him and yet his mate seemed strangely unconcerned about this odd liaison that Katie was flaunting in front of their very noses.

'How should I know? I don't see much of Katie nowadays. I haven't got a clue what she's up to.'

Emily was now getting bored with all this focus on Katie and Spencer and she pulled Naomi over to the dance floor for a dance. She couldn't begin to imagine what her sister was doing getting involved with Spencer but frankly she no longer cared. She just wanted to concentrate on the love of her life and forget all about Katie and her ridiculously complicated love life.

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	14. Chapter 15

**Author's Note**.

Thanks once again for all the reviews that you've been giving this story! They are very much appreciated and your encouragements for me to keep on writing are really inspirational during the frequent 'writer's block' moments! Please keep them coming!

Apologies if this chapter isn't one of my best, which I suspect it isn't. I'm working my way towards a couple of fairly incident-packed and pivotal chapters in the whole story but it's proved more difficult getting there than I had imagined! Hope you don't lose patience altogether.

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Effy and Pandora were sitting together on a wall outside the college building, basking in the midday sun as it beat down on their upturned faces. Effy was languidly puffing on a cigarette which she held nonchalantly between her long, slender fingers and was listening, from time to time at least, to Pandora who was as usual talking nineteen to the dozen.

'So, it's absolutely wicked that Thomas and Mum get on so well now, isn't it, Ef? I mean, who'd have thought it a few weeks ago? She really likes him and I can go out with him and everything….as long as I don't come home late and I'm not as drunk as a skunk. It's brill, eh?'

Effy smiled at her friend and said, 'that's great, Panda. I'm really happy for you.' And she was genuinely happy, too. She really liked Thomas and could see how good he was for Panda. It was just that Panda couldn't stop going on about him all the time and it was getting a little wearisome, but she couldn't bring herself to tell her best friend to change the record so she just let her witter on about him while she turned her thoughts miles away elsewhere.

Effy had long since perfected the art of pretending to be all ears to someone's conversation whilst actually thinking of something completely different. She knew just when to utter the odd grunt or sound of agreement to let the other person believe she was avidly following what was being said to her. That particular skill was second nature to Effy who was by instinct a young woman of few words. It was partly why so many people thought of her as a really good listener and why they often turned to her with their problems.

But for once there must have been something in the manner of Effy's response that made Pandora stop for a moment, contemplate her friend closely and change the subject.

'Are you OK, Ef? You seem very quiet. Is everything alright? It's not your Dad again, is it?' Pandora wondered if he had come back and had caused another one of the now legendary blazing Stonem family rows that she had witnessed herself at first hand on occasions.

Effy shook her head as she took a final puff on her cigarette before chucking the butt on to the ground. 'No, it's not my Dad. I haven't seen him for ages.'

'Then what, Ef? Is it Freddie? Or Cook?'

Effy looked at Pandora silently and shrugged her shoulders. 'I don't know,' she replied, somewhat unconvincingly, or so it appeared to Pandora. 'Maybe.'

'I mean, you _are_ happy being with Freddie, aren't you? He _is_ the one you wanted, isn't he? He really likes you, you know.'

'I suppose so. It's just that…….' Effy sighed a little and looked away into the distance as if searching for the right words which were tantalisingly, frustratingly out of reach. 'It's all very….safe, you know, with Freddie. He's really nice but so terribly safe.'

'Don't you want someone to look after you and make sure you're alright? Thomas would do anything to keep me safe. He'd protect me from anyone and anything. He's super brave, you know.'

Effy couldn't help smiling at her friend's unerring ability to bring virtually every conversation back to her and Thomas. She was incredibly sweet, she thought for the millionth time since she'd first met the dippy blonde, and Effy wondered, as she often did, if she would be any happier with her life if she was more like Pandora.

Would she be more content if she saw life through Panda's simple, uncomplicated eyes? Was that her main problem – that she was never satisfied with whatever it was she had? Why was she always desperately longing for something more? Why couldn't she just be happy with what she had? After all, he wasn't that bad, was he, Freddie? Some girls would kill to be with a guy as good looking as him. So why didn't he feel quite enough for her?

'Yes, he is, Panda. You're very lucky to have someone like Thomas. Come on. Let's go back inside.'

The two girls slowly made their way back into college and ran into Naomi, Emily and Katie as they entered the building. They all greeted each other except for Katie who initially scowled at Effy and thereafter deliberately avoided speaking to her or even recognising her presence. They all walked together down the corridors, making their way towards the classroom for their English lesson. Suddenly a mobile phone rang and it was Katie who fumbled in her bag and then brought out her phone.

She looked to see who was ringing and picked up the call. 'Hi,' she said. She proceeded to listen to whoever was on the line in silence and then simply replied, 'OK, Ill see you then,' and rang off.

'Who was that?' asked Emily innocently.

'Andy. My boyfriend, 'she explained in answer to Pandora's bemused expression. 'He just wanted to know if we could meet up later.' She didn't seem to want to expand any further on the subject as she immediately began asking Pandora about how things were between her and Thomas. The others took no notice and continued with their own conversations until they entered the classroom and sat down at their desks.

Cook was already in the room talking with Freddie and JJ and the Three Musketeers looked up at the girls as they came in. She didn't know if she was imagining it but Emily was sure she spotted Cook give an almost imperceptible peculiar nod of the head towards Katie as she made her way to her desk. Katie said nothing but just stared back at Cook.

Emily was becoming increasingly worried about Katie's behaviour recently. First there was her bizarre and blatant flirting with Tom Spencer at the gig they all went to the other night and now she appeared to be playing some sort of mysterious, secret game with Cook. She was afraid that her sister might be reacting to her split from Freddie by getting involved with as many guys as she could. She resolved to have a quiet word with her later in the day. She didn't want Katie to make a fool of herself and end up getting hurt all over again.

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Naomi was lying stretched out on her bed having just finished some long overdue politics coursework. For once she was alone as Emily had said she wanted to spend some time at home. She had said she was hoping to grab a chance to get Katie on her own and talk to her about something later that day. When Naomi had inquired what it was all about Emily confided in Naomi all her fears and suspicions about her sister.

Naomi understood Emily's concersn over her twin although in her opinion Katie was old enough to look after herself and make her own mistakes. But she didn't protest when Emily said she was going to spend a rare evening at home with her family. If she was brutally honest, Naomi knew she badly needed to catch up on some coursework that she'd fallen behind with. She also had to admit that if Emily was studying with her in the same room, the temptation for both of them to throw aside their books and turn their attention to something far more enjoyable was bound to prove too much.

So for the last few hours Naomi had been able to concentrate fully on her work and by the time it got to nine o'clock she had completed the assignment and was feeling pretty pleased with herself. But there was one issue that was occupying her mind, now that she could lie back in her room and relax. When was she going to visit her Dad and what was she going to say when she got there?

She was overjoyed that Emily had offered to go with her to see him and yet knowing she would have the redhead by her side to support her all the way didn't make it any easier for her to work out how she was going to play it. What did she want to say to him? Well, to start with, why had had he come back to see her and her Mum? Also, how long was he planning on staying around in Bristol? Why had he never kept in touch all those years after he had left? Finally, what gave him the right to leave them to fend for themselves and then turn up out of the blue like he did without a word of warning or any explanation?

She found she was getting increasingly angry with him the more these thoughts and questions raced through her mind. But at the same time she had to acknowledge that she was also very curious as to the motive behind his unexpected re-appearance. There had to be a reason but she couldn't work out what it could be and that was adding to her frustration and her overall feeling of confusion about her relationship with her Dad. Was there a place for him again in her life? If so, how big a space?

She decided after much soul-searching that the sooner she saw him and got answers to the questions that had been really bugging, the quicker she could move on from him and resume her normal life which had been making her so happy. He was threatening to be an obstacle to her new found happiness and stability. He either had to be removed completely for good or included in it, somehow, but on her terms alone. She resolved that she would go round to see him the following evening if Emily was available. Having made the decision, he soon started drifting off into a beautiful sleep as thoughts and images of Emily began to run through her mind.

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Emily was working on her bed in the twin's bedroom, almost exactly mirroring Naomi if only she had known it, when she heard the front door open and close and concluded that it must be Katie coming back home.

She stopped her reading and lay back thinking about what she was going to say to her sister. She didn't want to have a row with her, of course she didn't. They had been getting on quite well lately if truth be told and she was especially pleased with how much nicer Katie seemed to have been towards Naomi. There were no more bitchy comments or downright rude references to 'lezzas' or 'gaying anyone up.'

They hadn't exactly seen that much of each other in recent months as Emily had been spending so much of the time over at Naomi's house when they weren't at college. But when they were together, the pair of them, the atmosphere had been relatively tolerable, occasionally even pleasant. No, she definitely didn't want to jeopardise any of that, but she had to confront Katie, in the most tactful and caring way she could manage, about what the hell she was doing with Andy, Spencer and even Cook. An earlier incident at the house had raised her suspicions to even greater heights than before and she needed to tackle Katie on the subject.

She waited a while for Katie to come upstairs as she knew she would and sure enough after five minutes or so in she came. She had obviously been told by their parents that her sister was at home that evening since she didn't show any surprise to see Emily when she came in the bedroom.

'Hi,' said Emily with what she hoped was a friendly greeting and smile.

'This is a bit of a turn up. What brings you home for once? You and Naomi haven't had a row, have you?' Katie didn't actually smile back at Emily but there was no malice or hint of disappointment in her voice to find her sister there.

'No. We both just needed to do some coursework tonight – on our own, you know.'

'Fine.' Katie threw herself down on her own bed and closed her eyes, seemingly intent on chilling out or even getting some sleep. Emily watched her for a while, trying to read anything from her sister's demeanour about the kind of mood she was in but soon gave up. It didn't look like Katie was interested in talking particularly but Emily knew this was her best chance before they were called down to dinner by their Mum.

'Did Mum mention that Andy had called round to see you?'

'No. What did he want?'

'To see you, of course. He said he'd been trying to call you all day but you hadn't returned his messages. I thought you spoke to him at college and agreed to meet up with him.' Emily was expecting some sort of reaction from her sister but was surprised by the vehemence of Katie's response.

'What the fuck is this, Ems? The Spanish Inquisition? What's it got to do with you?'

'I know it's none of my business but I don't understanding what you're playing at. You say you were speaking to Andy but he says he hasn't spoken to you all day. So who were you speaking to this morning? And why pretend it was him if it wasn't?'

Emily was confused and worried about her sister's behaviour as well as her ultra-defensive reaction to her innocent question. She could sense Katie was hiding something from her and she had never done that to her before.

'Fuck off! It's got sod all to do with you who I see and who I talk to!'

Katie had a point there, Emily had to admit that. But she didn't like being lied to by her sister, particularly if there was no need to. Why would she make up a story unless there was something important she was trying to hide from her?

'It's not just that, anyway. I'm worried about you. You've been acting really weird recently. What was all that dancing and flirting with Spencer the other night about?'

'What?! You're vetting who I dance with now, are you? Since when has it been down to you to decide who I spend time with? Butt out of it, Ems!' Nothing's going on with me and Spencer.'

Katie had gone quite flushed in the face and Emily wasn't convinced it was just from anger – she felt there was more than a touch of embarrassment involved also. She sensed she probably ought to call a halt to the questioning right there, but something pushed her to continue: maybe it was the certain knowledge that Katie was lying to her

'And you've got something going on with Cook as well. Don't think I haven't noticed the weird looks you've been giving each other lately. Why are you hiding things from me, Katie? I only want to help. I'm worried about you. I don't want to see you get hurt by anyone again.'

Katie knew deep down that last comment of Emily's was a hundred per cent true. But she couldn't afford to come clean about the scheme she was involved in – not yet anyway, nowhere near yet. Even though Ems was asking all these awkward questions with the best of loving sisterly intentions, her persistence was seriously pissing her off. She decided she'd had enough of this relentless interrogation and stormed out of the bedroom, delivering a final 'Just fuck off and mind your own business!' as a final parting shot across Emily's bows. She left behind her a very confused, distressed and almost tearful Emily wondering what emotional turmoil her sister was getting herself into now.

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	15. Chapter 16

**Author's Note**.

Thanks once again for all the reviews that you've been giving this story! Please keep them coming. I hope you enjoy this next instalment which reveals some shock news at the end.

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Cook leant back in his seat, gulped down another quarter pint of his lager and drew heavily on the spliff that he had grabbed from Freddie just a short time ago. He seemed relaxed and contented which had not gone unnoticed by his two best mates sitting beside him. They looked at each other and smiled, both undoubtedly thinking the same thought – a happy and chilled out Cook was less likely to cause trouble for himself and everyone around him.

'First day of the OFSTED visit today,' stated JJ cheerfully. 'Should be interesting, shouldn't it?'

'I'm sure it'll be a thrill a minute,' said Freddie, his tone of voice indicating he was expecting the complete opposite. 'Still, it's only three days. They'll be gone before you know it.'

'Then normal service can be resumed, guys.' Cook smiled confidently and drained the rest of his beer.

'So you're not worried about how it'll go? You know, what with the college director making you responsible for all the students during the inspection.' JJ anxiously glanced at Cook but his friend still gave off an aura of serene tranquillity and self- assurance

Cook turned around in his chair, waved his empty glass to indicate another round of drinks was required and gave Freddie and JJ that very special look of someone who was at one with himself and the whole world around him. 'Do I look like I'm worried, JJ?'

'No, not really.' JJ smiled but was then quite alarmed when the freshly poured drinks arrived in front of them and Cook immediately picked his glass up and sank the best pint of half the contents in one gulp. 'Are you sure it's a good idea to be drinking this much before the day's even started, Cook? You don't want to be meeting the inspectors smelling of alcohol and weed, do you?'

'Not a problem, JJ, my old mate. They won't be coming anywhere near us today. They'll be cooped up with Harriet and Doug the whole day in her study, going through a whole load of boring paper shit. They won't be let loose on us lot until tomorrow. Trust me.'

Cook had obviously been filled in on the inspectors' agenda by Harriet and so knew he wasn't taking a major risk getting moderately tanked up that morning. Yet even so, Freddie and JJ still detected something unusual in Cook's manner which they couldn't quite put their finger on with any great certainty but which left them slightly bemused and curious. Cook seemed calm and relaxed enough but Freddie had the feeling he was holding something back from them and the thought of this irritated him somewhat. Normally, unless it was to do with a girl, Cook didn't keep any secrets from the two of them. So, what girl could he be shagging on the quiet that he wasn't letting on about? A nasty thought popped into Freddie's mind and he quickly brushed it aside almost as soon as it had occurred to him. He didn't want to go there at all.

'I trust the two of you put the word around, like I said, didn't you?' Cook raised his eyebrows as he posed the question, but he knew they wouldn't have let him down. Freddie and JJ had no reason not to help Cook out with what they saw as a very sensible and reasonable request.

The two boys both just nodded silently but JJ felt the need to clarify the response they had given. 'Well, obviously we didn't speak to absolutely everyone but in terms of the overall demographic of the college I think it's fair to say we covered a reasonable percentage of the critical population, statistically speaking, that is.'

'What the fuck are you on about, JJ?' Cook's blank expression confirmed that JJ had momentarily baffled the shit out of him once again with his verbal diarrhoea. 'Did you or didn't you?'

'He means we spoke to everyone we needed to.' Freddie made a face at JJ as if to say 'why the fuck can't you talk like everyone else?' The message has gone out loud and clear. No fucking around until after the visit's all over.'

'What about Spencer? 'JJ's voice betrayed a significant degree of doubt and suspicion. 'Do you think he'll play ball as well. Do you trust him, Cook?'

'About as far as I can throw him. But don't you worry about Spencer. I've got him covered.' Cook nodded with quiet satisfaction and drank noisily from his glass as if to celebrate this bold statement which he had delivered with utter simplicity and conviction.

'How have you done that?' Freddie sounded dubious but he would never publicly bet against Cook getting what he wanted. He had always managed to call in a favour or pull a few strings if needed in order to get things done that he wanted.

'I've got my spies everywhere, Freds. It's been taken care of.'

'How?' Freddie was intrigued and both he and JJ leaned forward in their seats, eager to be given more details.

'Let's just say I've managed to obtain some inside information that he's planning to pull off a very special stunt on the last day. But I'm going to be waiting for him coz I know the time, the place and all the details. He's going to be one very disappointed Spencer, come Friday.' Cook smiled at his two mates and started chuckling as he finished off the remains of his lager.

'Time to go, guys! The furtherance of our education beckons. Now that our thirst for alcohol has been fulfilled, our thirst for knowledge must also be satisfied.'

Freddie and JJ looked at Cook like he was talking a foreign language which they didn't understand a word of, which to all intents and purposes he probably was. The three of them go up and made their way over to the college, all of them in their own separate ways curious with anticipation about what the next few days would have in store for them.

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Katie looked at her watch for the third time in the last five minutes and started tapping her foot in annoyance and frustration. He was now getting on for ten minutes late and she was getting seriously pissed off. Why were guys _always_ fucking late? Did they do it deliberately just to test a girl's patience or were they simply congenitally stupid and useless and incapable of arriving anywhere on time? She decided she would give him two more minutes and then that was it. She would fuck off back to college and to hell with him!

However, almost as if he could read her mind, a few moments later she saw him coming. He waved at her and Katie smiled and waved back, putting to one side her previous irritation at being kept waiting by him. She pulled back from view, hiding around the corner of the building so that neither of them would be seen by anyone else when he joined her, which he did in a couple of seconds.

'Hi!' said Katie. 'You took your time, didn't you? A gentleman isn't supposed to keep a girl waiting, you know. I might have got whisked away by some tall, dark, handsome stranger while I was standing here all alone.'

Tom Spencer laughed and put his arms around Katie's neck, pulling her gently towards to him as he leaned in to her face for a kiss. Katie responded readily to his gesture and leaned forward likewise to receive his mouth which she softly met with her own. The kiss was warm and passionate and lasted for several seconds before he slowly pulled away from her moist, hungry lips and looked right into her eyes.

'Wouldn't have happened. I'm the only tall, dark, handsome guy for miles around.' His cheeky grin and twinkling eyes bore witness to his finely honed sense of humour and Katie couldn't help laughing at the outrageous arrogance of his remark.

'Yeah, right. Of course you are, I'd completely forgotten. How stupid of me!'

Katie feigned annoyance at herself and Tom smiled again, as he softly stroked her hair which Katie made no attempt to pull away from him. He liked her cutting responses, liked it when she gave as good as she got and showed she could more than hold her own with the clever one-liners. But most of all he loved her drop dead gorgeous body which he could feel her pressing suggestively, provocatively up against his own.. He hadn't been able to resist it the other night and he wondered if she was going to suggest that they get it on together a second time. He certainly wouldn't be turning her down if she did.

'So, how's tricks? What's going down tonight, then?' Spencer had no intention of making it obvious he fancied her: he definitely had no intention of asking for sex. That wasn't his style: girls came to him, he didn't go chasing after them. They were an amusing and usually enjoyable distraction which he rarely passed up on but at the end of the day they were an added bonus in his busy life, not the focal point of it. His attentions were always fixed on the steady enhancement of his growing reputation amongst his peers and to Spencer his peers didn't include girls – or even women for that matter.

'I don't know. Nothing much. Do you fancy doing something?' Katie had one final part of her mission to carry out so one more rendezvous with Spencer was required to see it through. Besides, she enjoyed screwing him the other night even it had been all in the line of duty – or perhaps for the benefit of her long term plan would be a better way of describing it, she thought. Duty and obligation didn't really come into it at all, just revenge and payback.

'Sure, why not? We could go for a few drinks and then something to eat afterwards. I know a nice little place that's just opened, actually. It's run by the father of a mate of mine. He'll get us a good table, I know.'

'Cool. Sounds good. How's the big project going? Is everything set up yet?'

Katie tried to make her abrupt change of subject sound as casual as possible and she looked around her as if to check that no-one could be listening to their conversation.

Tom was expecting Katie to bring the subject around to the matter of his plan for the OFSTED visit and so he was very prepared with his response. She was **so** transparent, **so** disappointingly predictable, he sighed inwardly. He could read her like a book, he thought, not for the first time.

'Yep. It's all coming along nicely. Just one or two final things to sort out and it should all be in place for Friday. It should be a fantastic way to mark the end of the inspection. I'm really pleased with it, if I say so myself. It'll be a work of art, a masterpiece of planning, ingenuity and execution.'

'I can't wait to see the look on Cook's face when it all kicks off. He'll be absolutely gutted. He'll never live it down! It'll serve him right, the stupid tosser.'

'You really don't like him much, do you, Katie? What _did_ he do to piss you off so much? You've never really told me much about it.' Tom was curious to find out why she had this huge problem with Cook. After all, it was Freddie McClair who dumped her for Effy Stonem, as he had heard the story. Surely it was Freddie who she would have held a grudge against, not Cook. In fact, he'd have thought she and Cook, as the two people left out in the cold in this slightly pathetic 'ménage a quatre' as he called it, would have become better friends as they shared common feelings of rejection and betrayal.

'It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you about it tonight. Or maybe I won't. You'll have to wait and see, Tom.' Katie put on the most coquettish and flirty face she could manage in the circumstances as she pressed her lips against Spencer's for one final deep, breathless snog before she had to get back to the college.

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Naomi took a deep breath and looked at Emily who was standing beside her on the doorstep. The redhead lightly squeezed the blonde girl's hand that she was holding by way of encouragement and nodded to her to be brave and take the plunge. They were here now, she reasoned, there was nothing to be gained from bottling it and running away. Whatever was waiting for Naomi on the other side of the door needed to be confronted head on, right now or else Naomi would continue to torture herself with questions that she would never find an answer to.

Naomi puffed out her cheeks, smiled weakly at her girlfriend and reached her hand up to ring the bell. The sound it instantly produced seemed unnaturally loud to Naomi, as if it was signalling something portentous and dramatic was about to take place. After a few seconds they could hear someone coming to the front door and then the door opened and a short sandy haired middle aged man appeared in the doorway. He looked at the two girls blankly as if he had no idea who they were or what they were doing on his doorstep and then suddenly his eyes lit up with surprised recognition.

'Good God! It's little Naomi, isn't?' he said with a smile.

'Yes. You remember me then. I'm not so little any more, though.' Naomi guessed he must be her Dad's friend Harry who she could barely remember even though she used to see him with her Dad a lot when she was a child. 'Is my father in?'

'Of course Come in, come in. This is a surprise. He'll be thrilled you called to see him.' Harry looked at Emily with a puzzled expression which Naomi noticed and quickly sought to explain the presence of the redhead standing quietly next to her.

'This is my friend, Emily. I asked her to come with me.' Naomi didn't feel the need to go into any more details at this point, least of all with Harry but he accepted this briefest of introductions without a hint of surprise or suspicion.

'Hello, Emily. Pleased to meet you.'

'Hi,' said Emily returning the warm smile that he had given her

Emily followed Naomi into the house and Harry took them into the first room on the left in the hallway which turned out to be the living room.

'Sit down, both of you and make yourselves comfortable. I'll go and get your Dad and then I'll put the kettle on for a nice cup of tea.'

'Thanks,' said Naomi and the two girls sat down next to each other on the three-seated sofa situated along one side of the room. They looked at each other and Emily said, 'He seems nice. Do you remember him?'

'Not very well. I haven't seen him since Dad left us.'

The door to the living room suddenly opened and in walked Naomi's Dad. Both girls turned their heads towards him and were shocked at the man they saw coming into the room. Although it was a only few weeks since he turned up so unexpectedly at Naomi's house he looked even more frail, pale and old since they last saw him. His face was drawn and his complexion had taken on an almost greyish colour. He moved with apparently considerable difficulty and his steps were uncertain and diffident. It didn't look like he had shaved for some time as there was more than the suggestion of a moustache and beard on his previously clean-shaven face.

'Hello, Naomi,' he said and his face momentarily lit up with a genuine smile at the sight of his only daughter. 'What a wonderful surprise. I wish you had told me you were coming. I could have got some cakes in for tea. I'm afraid there isn't much here for you. We don't get a lot of visitors.'

Naomi examined her father very closely and was stunned to see how different he looked, not just from the father she remembered from years ago but even the father who came to see her only recently. She knew something was up and she went straight to the point.

'Dad, you look terrible. What's the matter with you? Are you ill or something? Has this got anything to do with why you came to see me before?'

Her father eased himself slowly down into an armchair and looked at Naomi with sad, dull, almost lifeless eyes. He cleared his throat nervously before he replied.

'I'm afraid so, love. There's no use me pretending any more, is there? It's pretty obvious to anyone I'm not a well man.'

Naomi's heart started pounding away in her chest which she could feel tightening like a vice and she looked at Emily who returned an equally anxious and frightened glance at the blonde girl. 'Well, are you going to tell me what's happened, then?'

'I'm afraid, I'm dying, love. I've only got …..well, maybe six months at the most to live.'

Naomi let out an involuntary strangled cry and Emily instinctively grabbed her girlfriend's hand and put her other arm around her shoulders as the two girls both stared in utter disbelief and despair at Naomi's father as he sat opposite them with tears welling up in his eyes.

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	16. Chapter 17

**Author's Note**.

Sorry it's taken so long to publish the latest chapter of this story! But I hope you think the wait has been worthwhile - there's quite a comical ending to it which will have major repercussions in future chapters as I'm sure you will agree when you've read it.

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Naomi looked across at the small alarm clock that was quietly ticking away beside her bed and saw that it said seven o'clock. She'd been in bed for almost seven hours now but in all that time she reckoned she couldn't have had more than one hour's sleep. She had been tossing and turning all night, going over in her mind the events of the previous evening which still didn't seem completely real to her. She turned her head round and looked at the peacefully snoozing figure of Emily lying next to her, her back turned towards Naomi and her red hair loosely hanging down across her delicate shoulders.

Instinctively, and with just the suggestion of a smile hovering over her lips, the first one she had been able to manage since the previous evening, Naomi reached out her left hand and ever so gently ran her fingers through her girlfriend's distinctive red locks. As she did so, memories of the first time they ever slept together- well, the first time they slept in the same bed, to be strictly accurate – came flooding back with an unusual poignancy and immediacy. Just as then, nothing of a sexual nature had taken place between the two girls last night even though they had shared the same bed. Naomi had hardly been in the mood for loving after her father had given her the shock news of his impending death.

Emily had been totally brilliant, exactly what she would have wanted from her girlfriend. She had been supportive, caring and a real metaphorical shoulder to cry on: in short, she had been there for her when she had really needed someone and Naomi wouldn't have wanted anyone else by her side then other than Ems. She had held her hand tightly, draped a comforting arm around her shoulders and had held the blonde girl close to her as a constant reminder that she was not alone, that she had someone right next to her who was on her side. But the one thing that Emily couldn't do was make the shock and the pain go away.

It was cancer of the liver, her father had told them. Inoperable. It had been picked up too late to do anything about it. That was all his own fault, her father had said, nothing to do with the doctors at the hospital. He had always been terrified of going to the doctor's, had hated hospitals with a passion since he was a boy and had always told himself that things would sort themselves out naturally whenever he had fallen ill. Well, they weren't going 'to sort themselves out' this time, he had said, smiling weakly at his daughter.

'How do they know you've only got six months?' Naomi recalled asking her Dad, her voice scarcely more than a whisper and with a rasping, dry, throaty tone to it which revealed her distress and disbelief. 'They can't know for certain, can they?'

'Well, no, obviously it's only an educated guess, based on the results of all the tests I've had. They could be three months out either way, give or take. I might live for perhaps another year or I could be gone inside three months. No one knows for sure. You can't predict what day you're going to die, Naomi. Nobody's that clever.'

'Why didn't you tell us when you came to see us? Is that why you turned up like that?' Suddenly his dramatic appearance out of the blue at her house seemed to make sense, after a fashion, she thought. He must have wanted to say goodbye to both her and her Mum.

'I wanted to tell you, honestly. It's what I had intended to do. But when I got there, I guess I just lost my nerve. I didn't know how to say the words. Besides, you had made it pretty clear you didn't want me there so I decided to not to make things worse.' He sounded genuinely apologetic and Naomi could only nod in silent acceptance of his explanation. She remembered her reaction to him turning up and she could understand his reluctance to break the news to her when she so clearly didn't want him there.

There hadn't been a great deal said after that. Her Dad seemed drained and exhausted lying back in his chair as if revealing the truth of his condition had emotionally, as well as physically, worn him out and Naomi hadn't wanted to stay any longer. She felt overcome with a desperate need to be on her own, or at least alone with Emily, to take in the enormity of this whole situation. Consequently the two girls had said their goodbyes and quietly left. Naomi didn't say whether she intended to revisit her father and he didn't ask her if she would come back to see him. Both of them seemed unsure as to how they should end their meeting so they just left things up in the air, with no agreement on either side about seeing each other again.

She and Emily went back to her house and went straight to her room, with only a passing greeting to her Mum and Kieran who were sitting watching television in the living room. She hadn't felt up to telling her Mum about the shocking news, for some strange reason. She was going to tell her, of course but not right away, not that night at any rate. She wanted to think it over in her own mind first – she needed to work out how she felt about it in her own time.

Lying in her bed now the next morning, thinking about what had been said the night before, it suddenly struck her that she hadn't cried once since her Dad broke the news to her. This fact confused her. Did it mean she wasn't really that upset at the prospect of losing her father for good? Was it understandable, after having lived her life without him for so many years, that no tears could be shed for someone who frankly she hadn't missed at all? Or was she still numb from the shock and the tears would come naturally some time later on when her emotions were ready to fully express themselves?

Naomi suspected that talking it through with Emily would help her to understand her true feelings. She was so grateful that Emily had come back with her when they left her Dad as she hadn't wanted to spend that night on her own. They didn't talk much as it turned out when they got home as it wasn't conversation that Naomi needed right then. She just wanted Emily to be there with her and her girlfriend appeared to recognise that instinctively without having to be told.

They had undressed quickly and climbed into bed, whereupon Emily had put her arms around her and just held the blonde girl close to her, stroking her hair and kissing her face softly from time to time, without exchanging any words. She knew words were unnecessary; it was silent emotional support that mattered most at that moment. The two girls stayed almost fixed in their respective positions until Emily eventually drifted off to sleep, leaving Naomi to lie awake with her confused and uncertain private thoughts which were to keep her up for most of the night.

Either Emily must have had some sixth sense that Naomi was thinking about her or she had felt Naomi's fingers gently playing with her hair for the redhead slowly turned round in bed to look at the blonde girl through still half closed, bleary eyes. After blinking several times and rubbing her eyes with her hands Emily whispered to Naomi, 'Hi! What time is it?'

'Just gone seven.'

'Did you get much sleep?' Emily could guess what Naomi's answer would be. If she had been in her place she probably wouldn't have got any sleep at all.

'Not much. A couple of hours or so, I guess.' Naomi reached out a hand and caressed Emily's face, stroking her cheek with the palm whilst forcing a weak smile at the redhead. 'Thanks, Ems. Thanks for being here with me last night.'

'Hey! I wanted to be here. I couldn't bear the thought of you sleeping here on your own after yesterday evening.' Emily had moved closer to Naomi and passed her right arm around Naomi's bare midriff, pulling the young girl gently but firmly towards her. She knew that Naomi wouldn't be in the mood for sex but she was banking on an affectionate embrace and a big cuddle being just the tonic for raising her girlfriend's spirits a little. Naomi responded eagerly and the two lay together for some time in silence, with Naomi's head resting against the side of Emily's fragile neck and shoulders and their bare legs entwined around each other.

Emily had noticed that Naomi's eyes weren't showing the usual tell-tale puffy red signs of recent crying. She hadn't cried at all the previous evening, she remembered, neither when they were with Naomi's father nor after they had left him and come back home. She guessed that Naomi was either still in delayed shock from the news or was incapable of crying about a father who had badly let her down when she was younger and had needed him most.

'Are you okay?' Emily asked, after kissing Naomi lightly on the cheek. 'I'm here if you want to talk about anything……any time, day or night. You know that, don't you?'

Naomi nodded and reciprocated Emily's affectionate and comforting gesture. 'Yes, I know. Thanks, Em. I'm sure I'll want to in a little while, but not just yet, OK?'

'No problem. Whenever you want, Naomi. I'll always be right here.'

Naomi this time flashed an authentic smile at the redhead and snuggled up even closer to her, feeling the warmth of the other girl's body permeate her own, which made her feel safe and loved. They still had another quarter of an hour to cuddle up close like this, she thought, before they had to get up and get ready for college. It occurred to her quite randomly that it was the last day of the OFSTED visit which so far had proved to be fairly uneventful. She idly speculated whether today would similarly pass without incident as well.

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Cook checked his mobile was still on and resumed his position, hiding just around the corner from the sports hall. It was of course there that he had infamously revealed his impressive tattoo to the whole school on the first day of term last year. He briefly considered the potential irony of the current situation and smiled to himself. One year ago he had announced himself in dramatic fashion to the whole school and had immediately incurred the wrath of the college director in the process. Now a little over twelve months later he stood on the threshold of reversing his standing with Harriet and, in so doing, sealing his position in the college hierarchy permanently.

Freddie had just confirmed that he had Spencer in his sights and was watching his every movement. 'Don't let him out of your sights for one second, Freds, do you hear me? If my information s right, he's going to give the signal to the others for lift off, so me and JJ have got to be ready to intercept them.'

Freddie had got the message and was standing by ready to give Cook the go ahead to step in and save the day. Cook had to admit he was very disappointed and somewhat surprised by Spencer's scheme which his informant had given him the low-down on. He would have expected Spencer to have come up with something rather more imaginative and original than setting off a whole load of flour bombs as the OFSTED inspectors arrived at the sports hall for an artistic performance by the drama department.

He rang JJ once more to check that he and Thomas were in their backup position to try to stall Spencer's cronies. Cook of course had set himself up as the last line of defence in case the rest of the gang didn't succeed in stopping Spencer's mob from reaching the sports hall with their ammunition. He was supremely confident that the sight of himself barring the way to their intended destination would be enough to persuade that pathetic bunch of tosspots to give up their grand plan at the last minute.

He looked at his watch and saw that it was ten to three. Only another five minutes or so to go before Harriet was due to lead the teaching staff and the inspectors over to the hall for the drama performance. He felt a surge of adrenaline-fuelled excitement run through his body as he anticipated the satisfaction he would feel at foiling Spencer's plans for disrupting the OFSTED visit. He would naturally put the word around that he, Cook, had been the one to frustrate Spencer's attempts to sabotage the performance. He fully expected the shame and humiliation that was bound to follow would largely ruin Spencer's reputation amongst his peers and guarantee Cook increased legendary status. He couldn't wait for 'kick off.' Bring it on, Spencer!!'

Suddenly he could hear in the background the sound of approaching footsteps and the distant murmur of human conversation and he guessed that the party were already on their way down the long corridor that led directly to the sports hall. He was expecting a call from Freddie any second now, he judged, to say that Spencer was making his move. But nothing. His mobile was silent. Cook was puzzled. Surely Spencer had to make his move _before _the party had gone into the hall? It would be too late to carry it out once they were all inside without escaping detection.

But just as he was starting to feel a touch uncomfortable and nervous that things might be going wrong, his phone rang and he heaved a sigh of relief. It was JJ, not Freddie, however and as soon as he picked up the call and said 'What's going on, Jay?' he could tell that things had already gone tits up. A plainly freaked out and distressed JJ on the other end of the line was babbling incoherently and as Cook tried to get him to calm down and tell him what was going on, Cook became aware all of a sudden of a chorus of high pitched, terrified screams ringing out not too far away from him.

The screams were getting louder and more hysterical by the second and he also became aware of the sounds of stampeding footsteps as if a whole load of people were running away in blind panic and fear from something or other. He cupped his other ear with his hand to try to block out the sound of the screaming to listen to what JJ was having great difficulty in saying.

'Cook! Cook! Oh my God, oh my God! I don't believe it. What the fuck!'

'What the fuck's happening, JJ? What's with all the screaming?' Cook was seriously worried now and he started to walk as he spoke, retracing his steps back towards the corner of the corridor in the direction of all the noise which was beginning to reach epic proportions.

'It's going berserk, Cook. It's completely out of control! It's running amok, Cook. No-one can stop it and it's heading your way. You've got to do something, Cook!'

'What's heading this way, JJ? What the fuck is _it_? What are you talking about?'

As he heard JJ getting totally freaked out on the other end of the line, Cook rounded the corner and couldn't believe his eyes. The scene in front of him was like something out of a special edition of Animals Do The Weirdest Things. JJ certainly wasn't exaggerating. It was completely surreal and beyond any rational explanation and it was happening right in front of him.

The party of college director, teachers and OFSTED inspectors had obviously stopped in the middle of the corridor when all the commotion had broken out and were now looking back up from where they had just come with horror and disbelief etched all over their faces. For charging straight towards them, plainly terrified, confused and utterly disorientated, and leaving a trail of destruction behind it, not to mention dozens of students on the floor who had obviously taken frantic evasive action, was an unexpected guest to the proceedings. The cause of all this mayhem and panic stricken screaming was bearing down on the terrified party of dignitaries with relentless purpose and unstoppable precision.

One single thought flashed through Cook's mind as he took in the farcical scene taking place in front of him. It probably wasn't the most appropriate question to be asking himself at that very moment. He hadn't a second to lose, really, if he was to somehow try to protect the OFSTED party from being unceremoniously mown down by the poor, frightened rampaging creature. But he couldn't help this one question from popping up in his head.

**How the fuck did Spencer get his hands on a goat?**

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	17. Chapter 18

**Author's Note**.

I hope you liked the new 'character' I introduced into the story at the end of the last chapter! I haven't yet decided if he will be added to the cast permanently but I think he does have potential to be an interesting new addition. Let me know what you think!

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Cook was on the very point of springing into action when he was beaten to it by someone with an even keener sense of urgency and a greater desire for heroic glory than he. In the blink of an eye Doug had sized up the situation and realised that he alone possessed the necessary courage and skills to deal with the oncoming danger. He was ready to put his body on the line for the sake of the college's reputation and at no little cost to his own personal safety.

Granted, a galloping goat doesn't possess quite the same level of threat to life and limb as a charging rhino or a rampaging bull. Nonetheless, squaring up to a frightened and disorientated goat on the loose is certainly not a course of action to be entered into lightly, let alone approached with relish.

It was probably his proud Welsh ancestry that inspired him to attempt to rugby tackle the goat as it headed straight for the inspectors and the teaching staff. Undoubtedly he had visions of pulling off a magnificent crowd-pleasing, try-saving, last ditch tackle which were filling his mind with misplaced dreams of glory. Oggy Oggy Oggy!!!

However, as the goat bore down on the party with ever increasing determination, Doug must have suddenly taken stock of what he was attempting to pull off. As it was almost upon him, the goat must have seemed more like Jonah Lomu than a diminutive Welsh scrum half. Poor Doug didn't really stand much of a chance. As human and animal made contact, the goat caught him full on the side of his body and sent him flying to the floor.

But even as he was sent crashing down, Doug must still have taken a measure of pride than he had gone for the goat's legs rather than commit the cardinal sin of aiming for the upper part of its body. Failure it might have been, but at least it was an honourable failure, one which left his proud Welsh rugby-playing reputation still intact. **GOAT 1, WALES 0**.

Although Doug had bravely taken the first blow, it was sadly not enough to stop the goat in its tracks or deter it from ploughing its lonely furrow through the rest of the presentation party. A number of them, including Kieran and one of the younger male inspectors, had already started to take evasive action and had attempted to protect Harriet and the other female members of the group from any direct hit by the goat. However it quickly became clear that one of the women, the one female OFSTED inspector, had gone into a fit of hysteria which was extreme even by normal standards of hysterical behaviour.

Cook had not exactly been slow in reacting to the situation taking place at breakneck speed in front of him though he would later admit to feeling that it was as if time had stood still and all the events had happened in slow motion. He made a beeline for the goat just as Doug was attempting his own heroic intervention. As Doug bit the dust in spectacular fashion Cook threw himself headlong through the air and managed to wrap his arms around the goat's strong muscular torso. He clung on for dear life as the screaming from the female inspector reached truly epic proportions. Cook shouted out for someone to help him and Kieran, after initially looking extremely dubious at the prospect of joining forces with Cook to control the terrified creature, eventually realised that Harriet was shouting at him to do something. He had no option really.

He ran over to Cook and between the two of them they succeeded in pinning down the goat which had collapsed onto the floor of the corridor under the weight of Cook's attentions. They could feel the goat's heart was pumping furiously with fear and Kieran had the inspired idea of talking to it softly, saying helpful things like 'There, there, you're alright now, calm down boy, you're perfectly safe with us.' Amazingly these whispered words of comfort and reassurance must have had some positive effect on the goat as he stopped panting and whimpering and his heartbeat began to slow down appreciably.

After a short while the two guys appeared to have the goat under some measure of control and the widespread panic seemed to be over for the time being. An air of quiet calm slowly returned amongst the groups of teachers, inspectors and students for whom this had been such an ordeal of surreal Pythonesque proportions. Only one person seemed incapable of even remotely calming down. The lady inspector was crouched on the floor to the side of the corridor, crying hysterically, shaking violently and screaming persistently.

Both Harriet and Doug, who had recovered pretty quickly from the indignity of being unceremoniously dumped on his backside a few moments before, were kneeling down by the middle aged woman and were trying to help her to her feet. They were talking to her gently, asking if she was hurt in any way and desperately trying to get her to calm down. She mumbled something to them, but so incoherently that they had to lean right up close to her mouth to hear her as she repeated the same words over and over again.

'Capriphobic! Capriphobic! I'm Capriphobic!'

Harriet looked at Doug in complete astonishment as it slowly dawned on her what the woman was on about. He looked back at her with a quizzical expression and asked the college director, 'What does capriphobic mean, Harriet?'

Harriet closed her eyes in utter disbelief and said in a shaky, croaking sort of voice which she was evidently struggling to keep under control 'It means an irrational fear of goats, Doug. Miss Chalmers obviously has a phobia about goats, would you believe.'

'Good God!' Doug let out a soft exclamation of amazement as his eyes widened in admiration at Harriet's impressive display of general knowledge. 'Who would have thought anyone would have actually invented a name for that?'

Harriet was seething with rage but had recovered sufficient poise and self-control to take charge of the situation and restore some order to proceedings again. She turned to Cook and Kieran and told them in no uncertain terms to get rid of the goat and make sure it couldn't get back in to the college. As they gently helped the now docile and resigned goat slowly to its feet and started to lead it away, Harriet said in a cold, steely tone of voice 'If you wouldn't mind, Mr Cook, I would be grateful if you could spare me five minutes in my room after the end of the Drama Department's performance.' Cook thought about protesting his innocence right there and then and opened his mouth to speak but Kieran caught his eye and shook his head as if to say 'Not now. Don't even think about it, son!'

In any event Harriet had already turned back towards the rest of the presentation party and went amongst them making sure no-one was hurt and generally apologising profusely for 'this appalling incident' as she called it. Fortunately no-one seemed any the worse for wear and the inspectors tried to make her feel better by saying that they were all fine and that it wasn't her fault – it was just 'one of those things'. But their words of comfort and consolation were lost on the college director who was simmering with barely concealed fury and appeared on the verge of completely losing it. She led the party down the corridor for the sports hall, determined that they would see out the rest of the afternoon as planned. She would deal with that little shit Cook later, she thought. By God, she would sort him out good and proper, she said to herself.

All the students had picked themselves up, dusted themselves down and likewise resumed their procession to the sports hall, naturally all talking nineteen to the dozen about the incident with the goat. Speculation was already flying round as to how the goat got in and, more importantly, who was responsible for bringing it in. As they filed dutifully into the hall there was only one topic of conversation on everyone's lips and no-one was remotely interested in the performance that they were being made to watch.

The students all sat down in the rows of seats and watched as the party of teachers and inspectors took up their especially reserved places in the front row. A temporary stage had been set up in the middle of the hall with makeshift curtains erected on either side and the lights were gradually dimmed to create a half light appropriate for the dramatic performance that was about to take place. The murmurs of the massed ranks of students slowly died down until there was not a sound to be heard as all eyes turned to the stage.

On a nod from the head of the Drama Department, one of the stage hands in charge of the music side of the performance walked over to press the play button on the tape recorder at the side of the stage. He then resumed his original position to await the music which would signal the start of the production. After a short delay the music began to play but it was not long before a look of utter horror and astonishment could be seen all over the stage hand's face as he realised that something had gone terribly wrong.

'High on a hill was a lonely goatherd

Layee odl, layee odl layee-oo  
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd  
Layee odl, layee odl-oo  
Folks in a town that was quite remote heard  
Layee odl, layee odl layee-oo  
Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard  
Layee odl, layee odl-oo'

Although most of the audience assembled in the hall hadn't even been born when this particular song became famous, it was still instantly recognisable to virtually everyone there as The Lonely Goatherd song from the musical The Sound of Music. Within seconds of the first few notes being played, the tightly packed rows of students started laughing uncontrollably and almost falling out of their seats with hysterical giggling.

Harriet's face froze with a look of complete disbelief and undisguised fury and she turned her bulging eyes on Doug who was sitting next to her, open-mouthed in amazement at the song that was cheerfully belting out across the sports hall. The sound of the student laughter had reached such intensity that it was almost drowning out the dulcet tones of Julie Andrews' exquisite singing voice.

The stage hand, who initially had stood rooted to the spot in disbelief, as if he was momentarily paralysed with fear or his feet were stuck in quicksand, finally snapped out of it and rushed over to the tape recorder to stop the music playing. He ejected the offending tape, looked at it and turned towards the hugely embarrassed and visibly furious Head of Drama, shaking his head vigorously and saying 'That wasn't the tape I put in earlier!'

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Harriet's voice rang out loud and clear at the sound of the knock at the door to her study. 'Come in!' Cook came into the room and stood just inside the door, arms down by his sides, with a look of calm resignation on his face.

'Mr Cook. I'll keep this very brief as I have to say goodbye to the inspectors. Since you have spectacularly failed to carry out your task of keeping your fellow students under control during the last few days, I'm sure it will come as no surprise to you that I have taken the decision to suspend you from this college until further notice. Now get out!'

Cook decided it was worth putting up a token show of resistance even though Harriet was correct in her statement that his suspension hardly surprised him – he had been expecting it ever since the appearance of the goat.

'Hey, come on! That wasn't down to me! How could I have stopped that happening? Besides, how do you know it was one of the students that brought the goat in?'

Harriet looked as if she was about to explode with rage or at least spontaneously combust in her chair. 'Who else could it have been!!?' she shouted at Cook at the top of her voice.

'Well, let's think about it, shall we? It could have been one of the teachers. Maybe Doug brought it in. He's Welsh, isn't he? '

'WHAT!?' Harriet stared at Cook as if she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. 'What's that got to do with anything?'

Cook was thinking fast on his feet, you had to give him that and was displaying a creditable degree of imagination for a guy who was sinking faster than a man trapped in a swamp with only a blade of grass to hang on to.

'Well, a goat's a farm animal, isn't it? There's a lot of farming done in Wales, isn't there? Maybe he got hold of the goat. After all, how would a student know where to find a goat around here? I think you should have a word with Doug - seriously.'

'Get out, Cook! Your time is well and truly up! I shall be in touch later. For now, stay away from this college. If you attempt to return, you will be physically ejected from the premises. Goodbye.'

Cook shrugged his shoulders and made to leave, pausing briefly at the door to turn round and give a final parting shot across Harriet's bows.

'This is a shit college anyway, a complete dump. I was going to drop out anyway. You've done me a favour, actually. I'll see you around. Don't get your knickers in a twist about the goat, will you? He smiled broadly at Harriet's furious expression and tunefully and cheerfully whistled the Lonely Goatherd song as he left the room.

Harriet glared at the disappearing Cook, took a huge, deep breath to calm herself down and picked up the phone. After a few seconds she spoke to her second in command.

'Doug. Will you please go and find Naomi Campbell for me and bring her to see me, please.' She slammed down the telephone, leant back in her chair and closed her eyes tight in an attempt to block out the horror of the afternoon that she had just witnessed.

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Cook and most of the gang, with the exception of Naomi and Katie, were gathered together in a loose circle outside the college building. Cook had just told them that Harriet had suspended him and they were muttering expressions of genuine sympathy as Cook was going off on a rant about Spencer who he knew had to be behind the goat caper.

'I'm going to beat the fucking crap out of him, the devious little shit! He took me for a ride and I'm going to make him pay. He won't be able to walk for weeks after I've finished with him, that's a fucking promise.'

Freddie got hold of Cook by the shoulders and looked into his mate's eyes. He could see that he was beside himself with anger and his eyes were narrowing hard as he was obviously picturing in his mind what he was going to do to Spencer. Freddie realised that Cook had to calm down before he went and did something he would later regret.

'Cook! Listen to me. You've got to calm down. You're in enough shit as it is. Don't go making it any worse. Beating the crap out of Spencer is not the answer.'

'It's the only one he'll understand, Freds. Trust me. If I don't kick his fucking head in, everyone round here will think I've gone soft. I'm Cook, man! I don't take this sort of shit lying down!'

Cook was still seething as Freddie shook him furiously to get him to listen to what he and the others were saying to him. They had to knock some sense into him.

'Freddie's right, Cook,' said Effy. 'Beating the crap out of Spencer might make you feel better for a few minutes but it wouldn't be smart. You need to think of something else. That's way too obvious and predictable.'

'Come on, Cook.' Freddie took the lead again in getting his mate to think straight. 'You're way better than that. You can come up with something far more imaginative than just beating him up. He'll be half expecting it, anyway. We need to think of some other form of revenge, something he won't be able to do anything about.'

'We need to think outside the box to get the better of Spencer.' Effy had her finger on the pulse as usual. '.He's clever and smart. You think he's going to make it easy for you to get your own back? He'll take a beating if he has to. He'll think it was worth it to get rid of you. We need to come up with something original that will really hurt him – for a long time.'

The others – JJ, Freddie, Emily, Panda & Thomas – all nodded and muttered their agreement with what Effy had said. Suddenly Naomi came out of the college entrance and walked over to the group with a strange expression on her face.

'Hey! Where've you been?' asked Emily with a puzzled smile. 'I was looking for you a few minutes ago but you'd disappeared.'

Naomi looked at Emily and all the others who had turned round towards her as she joined them and cleared her throat before speaking with a show of slight nervousness and embarrassment.

'I think you ought to know, guys. I was summoned to see the college director after she'd finished with Cook.'

'Why? You had nothing to do with the goat incident, did you?' asked Emily with more than a touch of anxiety in her voice.

'No, it wasn't about that. It was something else, though not unrelated. You happen to be looking at the new acting Student President.'

Naomi gave an uncertain, shy smile as she looked around to see what the general reaction would be to her news. Emily let out an almighty scream of joy and jumped all over her girlfriend, flinging her arms around her neck and almost crushing her with a passionate hug. The others all let out exclamations of delight and congratulated the blonde who was now grinning hugely, relieved to see that they had all taken it so well.

Cook looked across at Naomi, nodded quietly at her and chuckled.

'What goes around, comes around, eh, Naomikins?'

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	18. Chapter 19

**Author's Note**.

I apologise for it being so long since the last chapter of this story. In one sense, I suppose this chapter could be seen as the beginning of Phase Two of the story. The last chapter opened up a few new doors for some of the characters to walk through and now I can start to explore where they might end up if they go through these doors. Hope you enjoy the rest of the journey and please keep the reviews coming if you can!

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Cook was already well into his second pint of lager and he'd only been in his uncle's pub for ten minutes. Freddie and JJ had started casting anxious glances at each other as they knew from long, bitter, personal experience that when Cook's mind was firmly set on a mission to get totally and utterly wrecked, he usually succeeded. Worse still, he often tried to drag everyone else down with him to ensure that he wasn't alone in the fucked up, drug-induced, intoxicated half-world he normally fell into as a result.

Freddie and JJ could accept Cook drinking himself into an alcoholic stupor to blot out the memory of his recent expulsion from college (though they found it hard to believe he was _that_ upset about the temporary halt to his educational aspirations) but were determined that he wasn't going to take it out on them or any of the others. If he wanted to get rat-arsed in a quiet corner on his own at the end of the evening, well that was fine by them. But the rest of the gang had their own lives to lead and they didn't need Cook to fuck things up for them.

'So, have you taken on board what we said yesterday about being smart in getting even with Spencer?' Freddie thought he'd better ask the question now, rather than later when trying to get a rational, sensible answer out of Cook would be a complete waste of time.

'I sure have, Freds. That's partly why we're here. I do all my best thinking after knocking back a few bevvies, as you both know. I'm waiting for inspiration to strike.' Cook held up his pint and gazed intently at the half full glass almost as if he expected it to speak to him and tell him what he had to do to get revenge on Spencer.

'You think you'll find it in the bottom of a glass, then?' asked JJ somewhat dubiously as he sipped at his coca-cola. As a non-alcohol drinker, JJ had never been able to understand his mate's fascination with beer, spirits and all forms of intoxicating liquor. JJ knew he himself had enough problems hanging on to reality at the best of times – God knows how he would cope with his screwed up, pill-ridden life, he thought, if he got pissed as regularly as Cook did.

'It's never let me down before, Jay,' Cook smiled at his mate as he sank the remains of his second pint and let out an exaggerated sigh of satisfaction as the amber liquid disappeared from view down his neck. 'Whose round is it now?'

'Whoa, whoa! What's the rush, Cook? We've got all day, remember?' Freddie had hoped to have a few beers himself that day but at the rate Cook seemed to be determined to knock them back Freddie could see he would have to stay relatively sober if Cook was going to be off his head before the end of the afternoon. Someone would need to keep an eye on Cook to make sure things didn't turn nasty when he was pissed and that someone of course tended to be Freddie. He wished that just for once somebody else would step up to the plate and offer to share the heavy burden of trying to keep Cook out of trouble.

'Come on, you couple of pussies! Don't tell me you're just going to watch me drink on my own!'

'No. It's just that…….there's no point in getting hammered before the others turn up, is there?' Freddie despaired of his mate ever doing anything in moderation. It seemed like Cook was hell-bent on trying to cram a seventy year life into twenty-five years. Why couldn't he just be sensible occasionally and do things slowly, gradually instead of all at once? Maybe he had a death wish or something. Freddie shook his head at Cook in frustration.

Suddenly in through the door came Effy, Pandora and Thomas and Cook greeted them in typical over the top style. The arrival of newcomers was always, in his book, a call for another round of drinks, whether it was his round or not.

'Hey! The troops have started to arrive! More drinks, Uncle Keith!! Rack 'em and stack 'em!

Cook's Uncle Keith, who had appeared out of nowhere at the clarion call of his nephew, nodded approvingly and smiled. 'I see you're going out in style, Cookie boy. And why not get rat-arsed? It'll be your last chance on that side of the bar, so make the most of it.'

'I intend to, Uncle Keith' replied Cook grinning all over his face. Not for the first time, thought Freddie, Cook seemed to be intent on showing off to his revered uncle. He couldn't help trying to prove a point to Keith who was an old pisshead himself of many years standing and in whose footsteps Cook seemed determined to follow. It was like Cook felt he had to prove he was worthy of the family name, demonstrate he was a chip off the old block every time he was around his uncle.

Freddie was convinced that was the issue and was equally certain that Cook would never be able to see his uncle for what he really was – a sad, tired, washed up old soak who had outlived his role in his nephew's life which was to introduce Cook to the ways of real men! Well, Cook had proved to be an eager and very quick learner and now he could outshine Keith as far as hard drinking, reckless drug-taking and indiscriminate womanising was concerned. Freddie often wondered if Cook would have turned out exactly the same if his uncle hadn't been constantly close at hand to exert an unhealthy influence over him in the absence of Cook's father.

'What did Keith mean by that?' asked JJ who had picked up the slightly ambiguous comment made by Cook's uncle. He was not alone in being curious as to Keith's cryptic remark and all the others turned their heads towards Cook for an explanation.

'We're here to celebrate, Jay!'

'You're celebrating being thrown out of college?' Effy raised one eyebrow in mild surprise at Cook's unorthodox choice of the word 'celebrate'. 'Impressive.'

'We're celebrating me getting a new job, guys. One that I was born to do.'

'Don't tell me. You've joined Johnny White's mob,' said Freddie with a sly grin.

'Lifestyle advisor?' suggested Effy who couldn't imagine anyone more unsuited to such a role than Cook.

'Drug dealer?' Pandora had picked up on the joke immediately which was unusual for her. Normally Effy would have to explain what the piss-take was about but this time she joined in the fun right from the start.

'I've got it!' said JJ who had been chuckling at all the preposterous ideas put forward by the others and thought he had come up with the most laughable suggestion of the lot. 'You're going to do teacher training, so you can come back to Roundview and wreak your revenge on Harriet!

'Good efforts, guys, but you're all way out. Isn't it obvious? That's why I asked you all to meet me in here.' Cook gave them a look and spread his hands out wide as if it had to be obvious to them what his new job was. The gang looked at each other mystified and shook their heads in turn in complete bemusement.

'I'm going to be running this place, of course!'

A heavy, stunned silence of disbelief fell upon the group as they looked around the pub that was now going to be Cook's place of work and took in the awful enormity of Cook's surprise announcement.

'You're fucking joking!' said Freddie, open-mouthed in shock.

'No, man. Uncle Keith's got to go into hospital for an operation and I'm going to be running the pub while he's off. It's only for a few weeks but he's asked me to cover for him.'

'Why?!' Effy knew Keith was a bit of a head case but she thought he would have had more sense than to trust his irresponsible nephew with his own pub. After all, it was his main source of income – well, legitimate source of income, at least – and he surely couldn't afford it to be jeopardised by Cook making a total balls-up of running it in his absence.

'Because we're family. We look after our own, you know. He heard about me being chucked out of college and thought this would keep me off the streets for a while. Cheers, Uncle Keith!' Cook raised his fresh glass of lager in acknowledgement of his uncle's generosity (or crass stupidity, depending on where you stood on the issue).

'But you don't know the first thing about running a pub – or any business for that matter,' said JJ who had genuine concerns about his friend's suitability for the job. 'You don't have any business studies qualifications. That could prove a serious disadvantage when it comes to running a pub. I mean, do you know anything about keeping the books?'

'JJ, it's a pub. It's not a fucking library! I've drunk in here more than anyone else has done. There's nothing about this pub that I don't know. I've seen it all happen in here. Uncle Keith will be showing me the ropes over the weekend and from Monday I'll be in charge.'

At that point Emily and Katie walked in and joined the rest of the group who immediately brought them up to speed with Cook's shock news. They fell about laughing at the news and Katie couldn't resist making the obvious comment to Cook who was still intent on celebrating his newly acquired status as a soon-to-be employed tax-paying member of society by getting royally tanked up.

'Does this mean free drinks for all of us from next week, Cook? You're not going to forget all your mates, are you?'

'Sorry, babe. No can do. It's a business I'm going to be running here, not a charity, like JJ says. Besides, you didn't come through with the goods on Spencer, did you?

You let me down, Katie. I thought you'd be smart enough not to have the wool pulled over your eyes by him.'

'What!?' said Emily, turning to her sister with an angry, accusing stare.

'Fuck off, Cook. That wasn't my fault. I came through with what you wanted. He was just too smart for you, that's all. Don't go blaming me, you arsehole!'

Emily, along with all the others hadn't got a clue what Katie and Cook were talking about but after much prolonged persuasion she finally forced Katie to spill the beans on the plan Cook had dreamt up to find out Spencer's plans to disrupt the OFSTED visit and fatally embarrass Cook.

'So that's what all that ridiculous flirting and getting off with Spencer was all about? Jesus! I thought you'd completely lost the fucking plot getting involved with him.'

'Fucking hell, Ems. What kind of idiot do you take me for? I was never interested in him. I was just doing it as a favour to Cook.'

'So how did it go wrong?' asked Effy. She was intrigued that Katie had agreed to take part in this carefully worked out subterfuge and wondered what her motives could possibly have been. Since when was she such a big mate of Cook's that she would readily have agreed to go along with such a plan. It didn't make any sense to Effy on the face of it, unless there was something else Katie and Cook were holding back on and not telling them.

'He was really clever, looking back on it now,' said Katie with a rueful expression. 'He must have twigged what we were doing right from the start and set me up.'

'How?' probed Emily who was still rather stunned at her twin's confession about her complicity in this convoluted web of deceit that Cook had organised.

'Spencer must have deliberately set up fake emails on his computer and text messages on his mobile, knowing I would pass on the details to Cook about his plans for the OFSTED visit'

'I don't get it. How did you see them? Did he show them to you?' Pandora hadn't quite grasped the subtlety of Spencer's deception. Her innocence as to the devious ways some people operated was refreshing and beguiling in its naivety.

'No! Christ, I'm not that gullible, Panda. No, it was incredibly clever, the way he did it. He left me alone in his bedroom just long enough for me to find what he wanted me to find. He must have guessed I wouldn't be able to resist having a good snoop around to see what I could find.'

'And you found details about a plan with powder bombs which was a complete red herring.' Freddie was ahead of the others and had already sussed out the double-crossing simplicity of Spencer's plan.

'Yep! The little shit took us for a complete ride.' Cook, who had been silent throughout Katie's explanation of her involvement in his carefully, thought out conspiracy, showed that he was still massively pissed off with Spencer having got one over on him.

'Why did you go along with it?' Emily asked the question quite a number of them had been pondering over the past few minutes without feeling brave enough to pose out loud.

Katie looked at Cook who returned her gaze with a blank expression which gave no hint or indication as to what she should say by way of explanation. Katie reasoned that he wouldn't have told any of them the real reason why she had agreed to help him out.

'Well, it wasn't rocket science to work out that Spencer was going to pull off some stunt and none of us wanted to see Cook take the rap for it, did we? When he asked if I would help him out, I agreed. Simple as that.'

She was aware her story didn't sound wholly convincing and plausible but then again it couldn't be disproved, either. It wasn't a lie as such, just not the whole truth. On a need to know basis, none of them needed to know the whole truth about her original conditional agreement with Cook concerning Freddie and Effy. That particular detail of their collusion could stay well and truly locked up in the vault, she reckoned, assuming Cook would keep his mouth shut – and why would he spill the beans now?

Katie looked around at the faces of the others to see if they believed her or not and was relieved that none of them seemed suspicious or pulled a face to suggest that they thought that sounded like a pile of crap. Her heart rate, which had been quickening noticeably in the last minute or two, slowed down considerably as she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

The gang seemed to have now exhausted that particular topic of conversation and the subject was abruptly changed by JJ who had only just noticed Naomi's absence from the group.

'Where's Naomi?' he asked Emily, who was sitting next to him. 'Isn't she coming?'

'Oh God, I don't know. She said she hoped she would make it along later in the day if she finished what she was doing.' JJ detected a note of slight irritation and frustration in the redhead's voice which came as some surprise. It was unusual to hear Emily talk about her girlfriend in anything other than glowing terms of undisguised love and admiration.

'What's so important that it's kept her away from a drink-up?' asked Effy with a trace of a smile on her lips, 'not to mention spending time with you?'

'Presidential stuff. What else?' Emily sighed.'I've hardly seen her since she was made acting Student President.'

'What's she doing? It's the weekend, for God's sake. She doesn't officially take over until Monday, surely.' Effy felt sorry for Emily who gave the impression of feeling very much lost and alone without the blonde girl by her side.

'She's putting together a Mission Statement for how she sees her role as Student President developing. She's been working on it solidly ever since Friday afternoon.'

'Why bother? She could have just used Cook's and put _her_ name to it!' said Freddie and the rest of the gang howled with laughter, including Cook, to be fair.

'No she couldn't. She probably wouldn't have been able to read my writing for a start.' Cook's mood had clearly improved sufficiently for him to join in the fun at his own expense.

'You can write? Since when?' Katie had relaxed considerably now that the conversation had moved away from her involvement with Spencer and was back to her normal bitchy self.

The mood of the group improved significantly from this point onwards and, as the drinks kept coming throughout the course of the afternoon and on into the evening, which Cook naturally took it upon himself to personally oversee, so the jokes kept flying around with ever increasing regularity and light-heartedness. Even Cook seemed to have resolved to put thoughts of revenge on Spencer temporarily to one side as talk centred on what sort of pub landlord he was going to make. Bets were being taken by Freddie on who would have drunk more pints by the end of the first week – the customers' combined or Cook.

At some point later on in the evening Emily's phone rang and after looking to see who it was she instantly picked up the call with a hopeful look on her face.

'Hi! Have you finished? Are you coming over now?'

The reply she received from Naomi clearly wasn't the one she was expecting for her face dropped immediately and she looked very disappointed.

'Oh, come on, Naomi! Can't you finish it off later this evening? Everyone else is here. We're all missing you. Listen.'

Emily held her phone out towards the others and invited them all to shout out encouragement to Naomi to come and join them. They all immediately responded by shouting over the phone to the blonde, telling her things like 'Get your arse over here,' Finish your homework over here, Naomi' or 'Don't be boring, Naomi, come and join us!'

'Do you get the message?' Emily's voice betrayed a note of pleading which obviously failed to do the trick. After silently listening to Naomi speak for a few more seconds, she reluctantly said goodbye in very clipped tones and turned off her phone, throwing it back into her bag in considerable annoyance.

'Isn't she coming, then?' asked JJ.

'No! She said she wants to finish it tonight so we can spend the whole of tomorrow together.'

'Well, that kind of makes sense, doesn't it, Emily?' remarked JJ, calmly and kindly, hoping to appeal to Emily's innate common sense and capacity for rational thought.

'Yes, I know. But it doesn't make it easier to put up with it. I just hope this President thing isn't going to take up too much of her time. If I had thought it would, then I would never have voted for her in the first place!'

JJ put his arm round the sad looking redhead's shoulders and tried to cheer her up but much as Emily really liked him and enjoyed being in his company, he knew all too well that he was no real substitute for the one person who made her life truly happy and complete.

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	19. Chapter 20

**Author's Note**.

I thought it was high time for a bit of concentrated Naomily interaction so I hope you like this chapter, which is the first of a 'mini two parter' focusing on the couple as they get out of Bristol for the day. Please review if you have the time- all comments will be gratefully appreciated as ever!

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When Emily woke up the next morning with only the slightest of hangovers from her drinking of the previous evening, it was to find a smiling Naomi curled up next to her, gently kissing and nuzzling her delicate pale neck and her ear which immediately sent shivers of delight rippling through her quivering body.

'Morning,' whispered the blonde girl without stopping her deliberate teasing of Emily's exposed neck and face. 'You must have had a fair few drinks last night. You slept like an elephant, you know? And you snored like one as well!'

'I don't snore!' Emily protested at Naomi's outrageous slur on her nocturnal habits, though the huge, satisfied grin on her face and accelerated breathing indicated that she was not genuinely upset by the accusation. How could she be when her girlfriend was giving her goose bumps the size of golf balls now that Naomi had progressed from kissing her neck and shoulder to licking and gently pulling on her ear lobe with her teeth and softly running her fingers through her shocking red mane of hair?

'OK. It must have been me making all that noise last night, then!' Naomi grinned back at Emily. The redhead turned right round to face Naomi and put her arms round the blonde girl's neck and pulled her towards her to give a long, lingering, good morning kiss, tongues feeding greedily on each other and flickering in and out of mouths with slow, deliberate movements.

'I missed you last night. I hate spending the evenings on my own,' said Emily in only a mildly reproachful tone as she planted soft kisses on Naomi's cheeks and lips..

'You were with all the others. I didn't leave you on your own, Em.' As much as she adored the redhead, Naomi wasn't going to let her get away with a false accusation, however much made in jest, that she had abandoned Emily to an evening of enforced solitary confinement.

'I know, but I still felt lonely without you there with me. Being with the gang is never quite the same when you're not there too.' Emily meant what she said although she accepted that Naomi hadn't stood her up as such and was genuinely busy working on something that was important to her.

'I would have come along if I could, honest, Em. But I really wanted to finish the statement yesterday. I didn't want to have to carry on working on it today.' Naomi stroked her girlfriend's cheek with her fingertips and pressed up closer against her warm and trembling body which immediately had the effect of placating even the tiniest amount of resentment and self-pity in Emily.

'So what's so special about today that you didn't want to do any work, then?' asked Emily, withdrawing her head slightly in curiosity so she could have a good look at Naomi as she answered her question.

'Well, I thought we'd go out for the day. Just the two of us spending a bit of quality time together. Fancy that?' Naomi raised her eyebrows as she smiled at Emily and her big blue eyes sparkled with a suggestiveness that some significant treats might be in store for the redhead – if she played her cards right and was a good girl!

'Sounds brilliant. What have you got in mind? 'Emily looked up at the blonde girl full of excitement and anticipation. _She must have been planning this all along_, she thought, _the little minx_.

'I thought we'd catch the train down to the seaside and spend the day there. Do some shopping, go to the funfair, have fish and chips for lunch, walk along the beach and have a paddle in the sea……'

'Find a nice secluded spot where no-one can see us?' Emily's eyes had lit up as Naomi outlined her plans for the day but Emily's imagination had far outstripped Naomi's and was already thinking of something much more interesting and exciting. 'Better take a blanket with us, then.'

Naomi threw her head back and gasped in amazement. 'Jesus, you're a horny little devil, aren't you? Sex is never far from your mind, is it?'

'Who said anything about sex? I was thinking of having a picnic, that's all. You're the one with the dirty mind, obviously!' Emily pursed her lips as she suppressed a giggle and Naomi suddenly threw herself on top of the small redhead and started ticking her mercilessly, on her sides, her stomach and her thighs. Emily instinctively began screaming hysterically and wriggling frantically in a desperate attempt to escape her girlfriend's clutches. But Naomi was by far the stronger girl and soon she had the redhead completely overpowered as she held her down by her wrists and lay on top of her, preventing her from getting away.

'Now I've got you!' said Naomi, 'You are powerless to resist. I am your President! I can do whatever I want with you.' Emily looked up at her, smiled, giggled some more and issued a bold challenge to the tall, powerful blonde who she secretly loved being dominated by on the few occasions when Naomi took the lead in their bedroom fun and games.

'Go on, then. Do your worst. See if I care. Only be quick about it. We haven't got all day, you know.'

Naomi looked down at Emily, pulled a face with her mouth as if she was chewing over the multitude of options open to her and then slowly brought her face down to Emily's and with a rapid movement stuck her tongue out and began licking Emily's nose all over.

'Aaarghh! You cow!' Emily cried out in mock horror and retaliated in the only way that was available to her in her position of weakness by rubbing her soaking wet nose up against Naomi's T-shirt. The blonde was grinning like a Cheshire Cat and released her hold on Emily's wrists to start tickling her again, whereupon Emily wriggled furiously away from Naomi's grasp and fell out of bed onto the carpet, prompting a further outbreak of laughter from Naomi.

'Bags me for the bathroom first,' said Emily triumphantly as she got up off the floor, clearly unhurt from her undignified fall, and raced to the door.

'Go on, you can have it,' said a still giggling Naomi. 'I'm too busy laughing at you. I need to calm down a bit. Don't be in there long, though! We haven't got long to get down to the station!'

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The distinctive jingle preceding the announcement that the train would be reaching its final destination in five minutes abruptly shook Naomi out of her brief slumber. As she opened her eyes and looked out of the window to her right, she could feel the weight of Emily's head resting on her left shoulder where she had snuggled up to her halfway through the journey.

The blonde could feel her left arm aching slightly from having been kept in the same position, curled around Emily's shoulders, for so long without moving. Normally Naomi would have still rather baulked at the idea of the two of them being so intimately and openly physically close to each other in public – at least outside their circle of close friends who were used to their relationship by now. But on this occasion there were hardly any other people in their carriage and certainly no-one sitting opposite or to the side of them. So when Emily decided to take a nap an hour into the journey and turned towards Naomi to snuggle up close to her, leaning her head on the blonde girl's shoulder and curving an arm around her waist, Naomi didn't protest.

They had whiled away the first hour or so reading a magazine together that Emily had bought at the station for the journey, lingering over some of the fashion articles and testing each other out on a couple of the quizzes to see how well they 'knew their partner'. They laughed and chuckled reading the problem pages, squirming and groaning with mutual embarrassment at some of the problems people had written in with and venturing their own theories as to what made someone feel so desperate that they felt the only answer was to ask Deirdre or whoever the psychologist might be.

Naomi turned her head to look at the redhead lightly dozing alongside her and smiled at the sight of her small, delicate, almost doll-like features. She always managed to look beautiful when she was awake but not for the first time Naomi was struck by how stunning yet fragile and tantalisingly vulnerable Emily looked when she was asleep. It always seemed to be a shame to Naomi to have to wake her up but the train would soon be pulling in to the station and her arm felt like it was even more dead to the world than Emily.

'Hey! Wake up sleepyhead, we're almost there. My arm's gone completely numb, you know.'

Emily slowly opened her eyes, yawned hugely and smiled at Naomi, leaning forward slightly so that the blonde could extricate her arm from behind Emily's back and nurse some feeling back into it by rubbing it vigorously for a few seconds. Five minutes later the two girls were making their way along the platform and heading for the exit out of the station. Their plan was to take the bus which ran between the station and the beachfront and get out at the end of the promenade, with the intention of taking a leisurely stroll along the front, pausing to explore all the little gift shops and local boutiques which sold a mixture of quaint, locally produced, specialty goods and hideously tacky seaside artefacts that you would be ashamed to give your worst enemy as a present.

Pretty soon the two girls were strolling hand in hand along the seafront, making frequent unscheduled stops to plunge haphazardly into some shop or other whenever anything caught their eye and drew them in. They were having a whale of a time, enjoying the relative luxury of being out together on their own, far away from anyone who knew them and truly able just to be themselves without worrying what other people might think.

As they emerged from one fascinating shop where they had spent the best part of half an hour browsing around, Emily said to Naomi,' Close your eyes, I've bought you a present.'

'What is it?' asked Naomi, all excited. 'I didn't see you buy anything.'

'You were at the back checking out the posters. I got it while you weren't looking. It's only something silly but I saw it and I thought of you, as the saying goes. Close your eyes and don't move.'

Naomi shut her eyes tightly and waited for Emily to surprise her. She loved surprise presents, however small or silly they were. It was the thought that counted as far as she was concerned and Emily was forever buying her silly little things on the spur of the moment. It was one of the many aspects of her personality that she loved; she was so spontaneous and generous with her time and her thoughtfulness.

'Stay still while I put this on you,' said Emily with a snigger and Naomi could feel Emily attaching something to her cardigan with great care, ensuring that she didn't prick her with the safety pin. 'Okay, it's on. You can open your eyes now.'

Naomi opened her eyes, looked down at her chest and burst out into hysterical laughter as she read the inscription on the huge circular badge that Emily had pinned on her.

'EL PRESIDENTE!' said the badge in big red lettering on a yellow background and Emily was overjoyed to see that Naomi appreciated the joke and found it as funny as she herself did. The two of them collapsed in a heap by a wall and laughed incessantly for ages, so much so that they were almost in tears and holding their sides.

'I really wanted to find a cap to go with it but they didn't have one,' said Emily ruefully and Naomi smiled at her and replied 'Perhaps I'll have to ask Cook if I can borrow his Cook Guevara beret.'

That suggestion set them off again and they continued on their way, each more or less propping up the other as they staggered along the pavement, with Emily shouting out to all and sundry as they passed by, 'Make way for the President! Bow down before the President!' and Naomi saluting and waving to extremely puzzled, random, fellow day-trippers as they walked on by.

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Naomi inadvertently let out a huge burp on leaving the café where they had lunched gloriously on real seaside fish and chips and a huge fizzy drink.

'Oops, beg pardon,' she apologised, rubbing her tummy whilst Emily giggled infectiously and pretended to be embarrassed and shocked at her girlfriend's appalling manners. 'Too much gas and fizz, I think.'

.

'Honestly, I can't take you anywhere. You're always showing me up! Sometimes I don't know where to look.' Emily smiled at Naomi and linked arms with her as they slowly ambled down the road heading for the funfair from where all the noise of the music and children screaming was coming.

'I know. I'm a continual embarrassment to you, aren't I? Not the behaviour becoming of a student president. What will my public think of me?'

They made their way over to the funfair which was situated in a huge field a couple of hundred yards away from the seafront. It was a fairly bog standard funfair, with all the usual rides and stalls, mostly designed for children but Emily and Naomi felt not an ounce of shame or discomfort walking around amongst all the school kids and queuing up for the Dig Dipper and the Ghost Train. Just for the day, they told themselves, they had the right to act like big kids also and so they took full advantage of all the attractions on offer to have a wonderful afternoon.

Naomi even won a huge cuddly toy on the hoopla stall, much to her surprise as she was, by her own admission, totally useless at throwing anything and only did it as a joke, spurred on by Emily who had challenged her to a personal duel. Naomi dutifully handed over the gigantic teddy to Emily who blushed as the cheers rang out from the crowd of people who were hanging around to watch Naomi win.

Towards the end of the afternoon, during which time they had also scoffed candyfloss and shared an incredibly sticky toffee apple between them, Emily said she was feeling slightly sick from all the food she'd stuffed down her neck. Naomi suggested they made their way over to the beach and find a nice spot to lie down and rest for a while. They still had a couple of hours left before they had to start thinking about making their way back to the station and a quiet relaxing lie down on the beach seemed the ideal way to end their day at the seaside.

They strolled over to the beach, hand in hand, with Emily just about managing to hold on to the teddy bear with her one spare hand. The hordes of day-trippers who had populated the beach when the girls had first arrived in mid-morning were now beginning to pack up and make their way back to the town. There was a lot more space for Emily and Naomi to choose from compared to a few hours ago when vast crowds had flocked to the beach, presumably intending to sunbathe after a full lunch.

'Let's go over there, shall we?' suggested Emily, pointing out a stretch of beach a hundred or so yards away which hardly anyone seemed to be occupying. 'That looks nice and empty.' Naomi looked at Emily with a sly grin, remembering the redhead's provocative suggestion earlier on in the day.

'I suppose you _did _remember to bring the blanket, didn't you?' she asked coyly as Emily smiled nonchalantly back at her. Naomi had to confess that the pleasantly warm sunshine, the still lingering taste of the sweet food they had recently eaten and

the sensation of the sand between her bare feet were all contributing to making her feel quite turned on at that moment.

'Of course,' nodded Emily. 'I'm always prepared for all possibilities. You know me.'

'I should do by now, I guess,' teased Naomi with a suppressed grin as she followed Emily who had strode purposefully towards the stretch of beach that she had picked out as the perfect private place for them to chill out for a while.

They chose their spot, as far away from everyone else as possible, quite far back from the water's edge, but still a reasonable distance away from the promenade which led down to the beach via some banks of steps. There were a couple of large rocks and boulders nearby and Emily suggested that they should use them as a shelter from the excesses of the sun which was just starting to fade as early evening approached.

Emily laid out the blanket that she had fished out from her rucksack and laid it out on the sand and the two girls sat down on it and looked at each other in silence, both grinning. Emily slowly took off her T-shirt and skirt and threw them down on the blanket and smiled at Naomi, challenging the blonde girl to follow suit which she did after a moment's hesitation. Both girls were now in their bikinis and instantly felt the sun burning their fair skin.

Emily reached into her bag once more, rummaged around a bit and then almost triumphantly brought out a ready made spliff and a lighter.

'Emily! We can't smoke that here!' said Naomi, her mouth wide open in surprise.

'Why not? There's no-one for miles around. Besides it's only a small one. We'll have smoked it before anyone will know. Come on.'

Emily lit the spliff and drew on it briefly before passing it immediately over to Naomi who looked at it and the redhead for a few seconds, shaking her head in quiet amusement at Emily's barefaced cheek but eventually accepting it from her and puffing on it in similar fashion. They both lay back on the blanket and smoked away in quiet contemplation of the gorgeous late autumn sky for several minutes.

Emily then suddenly rolled over onto her side and moved over towards Naomi, putting her arms around the blonde girl's neck and leaning in for a kiss which Naomi returned without a hint of protest or hesitation. Having accepted one sweet, lingering kiss from Naomi, Emily was hungry for more passion. She proceeded to kiss her girlfriend's bare neck and shoulders as Naomi failed to suppress a giggle but made no attempt to push the redhead off her. Why would she, she thought. When Emily started kissing her like that, it was heavenly and she felt her body start to tremble with desire and pleasure.

For the next five minutes the two girls continued to exchange kisses and caresses that grew ever more passionate and intense and their breathing became heavier and shorter as their excitement mounted with each new display of sexual desire. Eventually Emily could contain herself no longer and, after casting a brief glance around her to check that they couldn't be seen by anyone, she slid her hands up Naomi's trembling body towards her bikini top and swiftly and easily loosened it so that Naomi's beautifully pert breasts sprang into view.

'Em! What the fuck are you doing? This is a public place!' Naomi grabbed hold of Emily's hands to stop her taking her bikini top off.

'So? So was the wood down by the lake but that didn't stop us. Besides, I'm not suggesting we….you know … go all the way. But we can still have a bit of fun here, can't we? We haven't got long anyway. This is just to get us in the mood for later on tonight!'

Emily flashed a wicked, alluring smile at Naomi and ignored her girlfriend's mild protests. She moved her head up to Naomi's breasts and started to kiss and lick them slowly, whist stroking them equally gently with her hands as Naomi began to quietly whimper and moan in guilty pleasure at the exquisite touch of her girlfriend.

However this very private display of sexual gratification lasted for only a minute or two when a sudden noise close by made Emily stop what she was utterly engrossed in doing, turn her attentions away from Naomi's magnificent boobs and look round. At the same time Naomi opened her eyes, which had hitherto been closed as she wriggled and gently moaned with the intense pleasure of Emily's expert administrations, and looked up. What they both saw chilled them to the bone.

For there, rising tall above them, just a few feet away and casting a dark shadow over their supposedly secluded, sun-drenched, little spot, stood an officer of the law, one of Bristol Constabulary's finest. He looked down at the two girls with a solemn expression on his face which filled them instantly with feelings of intense guilt and fear. They both sat up, scrambled to grab their discarded clothes in an effort to cover themselves up properly and looked up at him again, neither scarcely able to breathe, such was the panic his mere appearance had instilled in them.

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	20. Chapter 21

**Author's Note**.

This is the second of the 'mini two parter' focusing on Emily and Naomi as they spend a day out at the seaside. When we left the girls at the end of the last chapter a policeman had just discovered them 'fooling around' on the beach half naked.

I was torn between two very different endings to this mini-series featuring the two girls and was having real trouble deciding which one to go with until I thought of an idea. Why not let you, the readers, decide which version you would like to see me develop further in the chapters to come? So I have written both versions of part two of this mini-series, one after the other, and you can 'vote' for whichever one you prefer! I am fascinated to see which version you will plump for as I think both have potential for some interesting developments ahead. I hope you enjoy the options open to you!

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**VERSION 1**

'Well, well, well!! What have we got here?' The policeman stood looking at the girls impassively, arms folded, and ever so slightly shaking his head in what an impartial observer might easily mistake for mild disapproval.

The constable was hardly what you would describe as 'still in nappies' in terms of experience in the job, but he was probably no older than his mid-twenties. He was very tall, at least six foot two, slim and fair haired from the little that could be seen of his head from underneath his regulation police helmet. He would have towered over the girls had they been standing on their feet but given that they were both frantically scrambling around on all fours trying to put some clothes back on, he seemed even more imposing and threatening than he would have been in normal circumstances.

Now, the police training colleges in this country are world renowned for their excellent training methods in rigorously preparing our boys in blue for all possible situations that they might come across out in the real world. However it is hard to imagine which element of the excellent training our particular copper would have undergone covered the precise situation of coming across two beautiful young girls engaged in sexual activity with each other, on a beach, half naked, towards the end of a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Nothing obvious springs to mind.

Emily and Naomi hadn't said a word since the policeman had appeared out of the blue but now he had asked them a direct question, of sorts, and seemed to be expecting an answer from them, judging by the raised eyebrow and the inquiring expression on his face. The girls looked at each other in silence as if each was trying to communicate telepathically to the other, begging her girlfriend to be brave and be the first to speak.

Eventually Emily cleared her throat, which had turned horribly dry in the last minute or so, and spoke although it would not be an exaggeration to say that it came out more as a rasping whisper than a confident, self-assured statement.

'We're terribly sorry, officer. We just got a bit carried away, you know. We didn't mean to……..' Emily's voice tailed away as she found the right words difficult to get out, not to mention find, to explain convincingly the situation in which they had been caught red-handed, banged to rights, as it were.

'I think it must have been the effects of the sun. It's been very hot today. We must have been suffering from a touch of sunstroke, I think.' Naomi had been churning over in her head for the last thirty seconds a variety of excuses that they could put forward to justify their behaviour to the policeman, none of which had sounded terribly convincing. The one she had just blurted out in desperation, through a desire not to leave Emily to do all the talking and explaining, now seemed to her to be the least impressive of all the options she could have chosen from..

'You've certainly been turning up the heat around here, haven't you? Perhaps you both need a dip in the sea to cool you down a bit, eh?'

The girls exchanged embarrassed glances, both of them turning bright red in the face as they realised that the officer had obviously been watching them when they had been clutching at each other's naked bodies like a couple of randy rabbits.

'You do realise, don't you, young ladies, that technically speaking I could charge you with a number of offences?'

The policeman had now replaced the merest suspicion of a twinkle in his eyes which was just about detectable when Emily first spoke with a much more serious and solemn expression, as befitting the gravity of the situation. Whether this was a direct result of Naomi's feeble explanation for their seaside groping and fumbling was hard to tell.

'What!?' exclaimed Naomi horrified and Emily turned an anxious face towards the blonde as she recognised a note of real fear in her involuntary cry.

'Oh yes, indeed,' said the policeman, opening his notebook which the two girls had failed to notice him taking out of his pocket. 'I'm afraid I can have the two of you on a number of offences, from what I've seen so far.'

'Shit!' Naomi couldn't prevent a despairing oath from popping out unannounced and she covered her mouth with her hand instinctively as soon as she had said it. 'I'm sorry,' she apologised immediately but the policeman didn't even raise his head to look at her.

'Firstly, I can charge you both with indecent exposure. You won't deny that you were half naked when I came across you, will you?'

The faces of the two girls dropped forlornly and they both shook their heads more or less simultaneously in a shared abject misery.

'Secondly, there is the charge of violation of the beach regulations here about no topless bathing. I'm sure you must have seen the signs reminding trippers about the policy at this beach? '

'No, we didn't see them, I'm afraid.' Emily felt that they had at least a reasonable excuse on this particular point but sadly it seemed that her view was not widely shared by the Bristol constabulary or at least this representative of it.

'Well you should have done. There are lots of signs dotted all over the beach and on the approaches to it also. Ignorance of the law is no defence, young lady. Then there is also a possible charge of committing an act of public indecency.' The copper suddenly stopped writing, paused and looked up at the two girls at this point, as if expecting for them to strenuously deny this fresh allegation.

Naomi and Emily looked at each other with long faces and sad, heavy eyes and wished that the ground would swallow them up into a big hole. Realising that his last remark had not elicited any response or protest from the two girls, the copper resumed his perusal of their steadily growing rap sheet. There followed an uncomfortable silence during which the officer put the finishing touches to his notes on their list of misdemeanours and the girls finished covering themselves up to the extent that a charge of indecent exposure would no longer be appropriate.

The constable put away his notebook and looked at Emily and Naomi who couldn't have been more disconsolate and miserable if they had just been told they had won the lottery only to find their winning ticket was one week out of date. They turned their sad, drawn faces on the policeman and prepared themselves for the worst. To their utter astonishment and confusion he smiled at them for the first time since they had met him and his next words came as an almighty relief.

'Now, I'm going to let you off with a warning, okay? I know you didn't mean any harm by what you were doing but you must realise that this is a public place. You may be entitled to do what you like in the privacy of your own home but this is a public area and in particular there are children around. They don't need to learn about the birds and the bees by watching your antics now, do they? Nor the birds and the birds, for that matter!'

Emily felt sufficiently relieved and confident that they were not going to be hauled off into the cells at the nearest police station to reveal a smile and a nervous laugh to show her agreement with the policeman's jocular words of warning and advice.

'Yes, we understand, officer. We're terribly sorry for what we did. It won't happen again, will it, Naomi?'

'No. It _definitely_ will never happen again, officer. I can promise you that.' Emily felt ever so slightly concerned about the vehement nature of Naomi's promise to the officer but she made a mental note to herself to pursue that later, rightly thinking that their priority at that moment had to be getting off the beach without any charges hanging round their necks.

'Okay, we'll leave it at that. The next time you girls feel like having a romantic day out together at the seaside, perhaps you should consider going to Brighton instead, eh?' He smiled warmly at them this time and there was a noticeable mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Emily could have sworn he even winked at her as she and Naomi thanked him profusely and turned to leave.

But before they had even taken a few paces back in the direction that they had come from an hour ago the policeman suddenly stopped and started sniffing, turning his head this way and that as if he was trying to locate the source of something he had just smelt. 'Can you smell something odd?' he asked the girls whose hearts started pounding furiously as they exchanged terrified glances behind the copper's back.

'We noticed it when we got here. I think someone must have been burning something before us,' said Emily, with her heart in her mouth, her eyes closed and her fingers crossed. 'It's practically gone now, though.'

'Hmmm,' said the officer thoughtfully. 'It smells like someone's been smoking something more than just a cigarette,' and he looked at the two girls for any bright suggestions or more likely for signs of guilt.

'Maybe someone was smoking a cigar. They leave a really powerful smell behind for ages,' suggested Naomi, desperately trying to think on her feet. They both said goodbye and carried on walking away from the officer, neither daring to look back in case that renewed his suspicions about them. Five minutes later they were back on the promenade and were heading for the bus stop to pick up the bus back to the train station.

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The return journey back to Bristol was a very different one to the outward journey they had enjoyed in the morning. For one thing the train, although by no means full, was considerably more crowded this time and a middle aged gentleman was occupying one of the seats opposite the girls. This meant that in stark contrast to the morning, Emily and Naomi no longer felt comfortable enough to cuddle up to each other in their seats.

Furthermore their mood was much more sombre and pensive than earlier on in the day when they were full of anticipation about the trip they were going on and bubbling with nervous excitement about the day that lay ahead of them. This evening they were very quiet, hardly engaging in any prolonged conversation at all and Naomi in particular was almost completely silent throughout the journey. Emily tried some harmless small talk to lighten the heavy atmosphere that she sensed still hung over the pair of them but to no avail.

Naomi had made it pretty clear once they had sat down that all she wanted to do was close her eyes and get some rest so Emily by and large left her to it. They would talk at length about what had happened later on when they got back home, the redhead told herself. She felt sure things would be back to normal when they in familiar surroundings and the events of the late afternoon could be seen with some proper perspective.

However as soon as they had got back into Bristol later on that evening Naomi dropped a bombshell by telling Emily that she was tired and wanted to go home for an early night.

'That's okay, we'll go straight to bed when we get back home. That's fine by me, I'm knackered as well.' said Emily, deliberately ignoring the implication of what Naomi had just said.

'No, Em, I want to go home and spend the night on my own.' Naomi looked at her girlfriend with an expression that seemed both apologetic and accusing at the same time.

'Why?' said Emily who didn't attempt to hide the fact that she felt hurt and confused by Naomi's remark. 'What's the matter? Why don't you want to be with me tonight? You've not got any work to do!'

'Em! We damn near got fucking arrested today! How would that have looked for me at college?' Naomi's voice was close to breaking and she was struggling to control her emotions and keep a sense of calm composure in front of the redhead. But Emily wasn't having any of that and retaliated with both barrels aimed at the blonde.

'It wouldn't have gone down that well for me either. My parents would have been furious, for starters! This isn't just about you, you know!'

'I know that. But think about it. How would it have looked if I had been charged by the police only days after I had been made acting Student President. The college director would have gone ape. She probably would have got rid of me as President and looked around for someone else to take over.'

Emily looked at Naomi aghast and felt really disappointed at what her girlfriend had just said.

'Fucking hell, Naomi! I can't believe you've just said that. You're only concerned about yourself and your fucking role as President. Nothing else matters any more, does it?'

Emily almost spat the words out before turning on her heels and striding away from Naomi before the tears that she could feel welling up in her eyes began to fall down her face in front of the blonde girl. She didn't want Naomi to see her cry and so she kept on walking, despite Naomi's pleas for her to come back which she could hear clearly behind her.

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**VERSION 2**

'Well, well, well!! What have we got here?' The policeman stood looking at the girls impassively, arms folded, and vigorously shaking his head in what, to even an impartial observer, would pass for clear signs of disapproval.

The constable was hardly what you would describe as 'an old sweat' in terms of experience in the job, but he was probably no younger than his early forties. He was very tall, at least six foot two, well-built and fair haired from the little that could be seen of his head from underneath his regulation police helmet. He would have towered over the girls had they been standing on their feet but given that they were both frantically scrambling around on all fours trying to put some clothes back on, he seemed even more imposing and threatening than he would have been in normal circumstances.

Now, the police training colleges in this country are world renowned for their excellent training methods in rigorously preparing our boys in blue for all possible situations that they might come across out in the real world. However it is hard to imagine which element of the excellent training our particular copper would have undergone covered the precise situation of coming across two beautiful young girls engaged in sexual activity with each other, on a beach, half naked, towards the end of a pleasant Sunday afternoon. Nothing obvious springs to mind.

Emily and Naomi hadn't said a word since the policeman had appeared out of the blue but now he had asked them a direct question, of sorts, and seemed to be expecting an answer from them, judging by the raised eyebrow and the stern expression on his face. The girls looked at each other in silence as if each was trying to communicate telepathically to the other, begging her girlfriend to be brave and be the first to speak.

Eventually Emily cleared her throat, which had turned horribly dry in the last minute or so, and spoke although it would not be an exaggeration to say that it came out more as a rasping whisper than a confident, self-assured statement.

'We're terribly sorry, officer. We just got a bit carried away, you know. We didn't mean to……..' Emily's voice tailed away as she found the right words difficult to get out, not to mention find, to explain convincingly the situation in which they had been caught red-handed, banged to rights, as it were.

'I think it must have been the effects of the sun. It's been very hot today. We must have been suffering from a touch of sunstroke, I think.' Naomi had been churning over in her head for the last thirty seconds a variety of excuses that they could put forward to justify their behaviour to the policeman, none of which had sounded terribly convincing. The one she had just blurted out in desperation, through a desire not to leave Emily to do all the talking and explaining, now seemed to her to be the least impressive of all the options she could have chosen from.

'You do realise, don't you, young ladies, that I could charge you with a number of offences?'

The policeman spoke with an intensely serious and solemn expression, as befitting the gravity of the situation. Whether this was a direct result of Naomi's feeble explanation for their seaside groping and fumbling was hard to tell.

'What!?' exclaimed Naomi horrified and Emily turned an anxious face towards the blonde as she recognised a note of real fear in her involuntary cry.

'Oh yes, indeed,' said the policeman, opening his notebook which the two girls had failed to notice him taking out of his pocket. 'I'm afraid I can have the two of you on a number of offences, from what I've seen so far.'

'Shit!' Naomi couldn't prevent a despairing oath from popping out unannounced and she covered her mouth with her hand instinctively as soon as she had said it. 'I'm sorry,' she said immediately but the policeman didn't appear satisfied by her quick apology.

'I'll ask you to mind your language, young girl. You're in enough trouble as it is without making it any worse for yourself. Now, where was I? Ah yes, the charges.

Well, firstly, I can charge you both with indecent exposure. You won't deny that you were half naked when I came across you, will you?'

The faces of the two girls dropped forlornly and they both shook their heads more or less simultaneously in a shared abject misery.

'Secondly, there is the charge of violation of the beach regulations here about no topless bathing. You have obviously chosen to completely ignore the signs reminding trippers about the policy at this beach? '

'No, we didn't ignore them, we just didn't see them, I'm afraid.' Emily felt that they had at least a reasonable excuse on this particular point but sadly it seemed that her view was not widely shared by the Bristol constabulary or at least this representative of it.

'I don't see how you can have failed to see the signs. There are lots of them situated all over the beach and on the approaches to it also. Ignorance of the law is no defence, young lady. Then there is also a charge of committing an act of public indecency.' The copper suddenly stopped writing, paused and wrinkled his nose in an act of apparent distaste at the image he had just witnessed and conjured up again in words.

Naomi and Emily looked at each other with long faces and sad, heavy eyes and wished that the ground would swallow them up into a big hole. Having publicly registered his disapproval of the act of public indecency he had caught them committing, the copper resumed his perusal of their steadily growing rap sheet. There followed an uncomfortable silence during which the officer put the finishing touches to his notes on their list of misdemeanours and the girls finished covering themselves up to the extent that a charge of indecent exposure would no longer be appropriate.

The constable put away his notebook and looked at Emily and Naomi who couldn't have been more disconsolate and miserable if they had just been told they had won the lottery only to find their winning ticket was one week out of date. They turned their sad, drawn faces on the policeman and prepared themselves for the worst.

'I'm going to have to ask you both to come with me to the police station,' said the policeman. 'I need to ask you a few more questions and it will be better to do that there rather than here.'

'What!?' the two girls cried out in unison and looked at each other in genuine fright.

'But we haven't done anything wrong!' protested Naomi. 'We were only messing about a bit and we didn't know you couldn't go topless on the beach. That's the honest truth!'

'Really, officer, we didn't know,' added Emily. 'As for the other stuff, we're sorry about that. We know we shouldn't have and we won't do it again.'

The policeman was obviously less than impressed by and in no mood to heed their pleas for leniency. 'It's not just that - although you should have thought about the fact that there are children on this beach before you started your…..nonsense. No, there's something else. I can definitely smell that someone has been smoking illegal substances around here. Now it may not have been you but I want to search your bags.'

The two girls caught their breath in horror and looked at each other in utter dismay. Now they were for the high jump, they thought. Emily started crying and Naomi went over to her and put her arms round her to comfort her while the officer radioed for a car to come and pick them up and take them back to the police station.

Ten minutes later the two girls were sitting in separate interview rooms in the local nick, drinking tea which had been brought to them in a plastic cup and worrying themselves shitless about what was going to happen to them and above all what their parents would say when they found out. Or at least Emily was terrified what her parents would say and what consequences it would have for her and Naomi.

She felt so guilty that it had been all her fault that they were now in this mess. It had been _her_ joint that they had smoked, _her_ advances on Naomi on the beach that had led to them being taken in for questioning. Everything was down to her and she felt beside herself with grief and regret. Why couldn't she have just waited until they had got home to jump on Naomi? But that was the problem – she never could hold back when it came to Naomi! She was totally spellbound by her and wanted her twenty-four seven. And now she had put their relationship in jeopardy! God knows what her parents would do when they found out. Would they ever let her see Naomi again?

Naomi on the other hand wasn't overly bothered about her Mum's likely reaction to the news that her daughter had been taken into police custody for questioning about a possible drugs charge. She knew her Mum had frequently dabbled with 'soft' drugs when she younger and was hardly likely to read her the riot act unless she wanted to be branded a hypocrite by her own daughter. No, Naomi was much more concerned about what the college would do if charges were made against the pair of them. Harriet would go absolutely fucking ape, she reckoned and would take away the Student President role from her and give it to somebody else, which would leave her devastated, not to so ashamed.

But she was also terrified about what Emily's Mum and Dad would think about her No doubt Emily's Mum would blame _her _for the whole incident, would accuse _her_ of leading their innocent daughter astray when in reality of course it had been Emily's idea to fool around on the beach and Emily who had brought the spliff with her! But there was no way Mrs Fitch would believe that, even if Emily admitted it. She would just claim that Ems was covering up and taking the rap for her. She would probably accuse her of completely controlling Emily and demand that she should be locked up for her daughter's own safety!

Al these thoughts had been flying around the heads of the two girls for a couple of hours now. They had both been questioned further by a couple of officers, including the one who had brought them in and had answered all their questions honestly and openly, admitting their relationship and explaining the purpose of their trip to the seaside. Emily had come clean about the joint, swearing blind that it had only been the one and that it was only for recreational purposes. They had both received a stern talking to about the dangers of drugs, even of soft drugs taken in moderation and had taken it on the chin as they had other no option but to.

Emily was sitting in the room with just a constable for company, standing silently by the door, when all of a sudden the door opened and in rushed her Mum and Dad. They went straight over to her and hugged her like she had just been brought back to them from the dead.

'Are you okay, darling?' cried her Mum, in tears. 'We came as soon as we heard.'

'I'm fine, honest. Look, I'm really sorry.' Emily broke down in tears again and sobbed on her mother's shoulder while her father put his arm around her and told her everything was going to be alright.

'We've come to take you home, love' said her Dad. 'The police aren't pressing any charges. They're letting you off with a warning.'

'What? Really?' Emily put her hands to her mouth and stifled a cry of relief as her tears started to subside at the news of her release. 'What about Naomi?' she asked anxiously.

'She's being released as well. Her mother's arrived to fetch her and take her home.' Mrs Fitch gave Emily the news about Naomi without any sign of emotion, her face totally impassive as she steered her daughter towards the door. 'Come on. Let's get you back home. You must be tired and hungry. Let's get out of this place.'

They followed the constable out of the room and down several corridors towards the exit. There was no sign of Naomi at all as they arrived at the front desk where Emily was required to sign a piece of paper to confirm her release from the station without charges. As soon as she had done so she was steered gently by her Mum and Dad out of the police station and the three of them headed for the relative safety and comfort of their car which would take her back home. She was a free young woman once again but nonetheless a damaged, shaken and disturbed young woman with many fears and trepidations about what lay in store for her once she got home.

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	21. Chapter 22

**Author's Note**.

Well, I said I would be fascinated to see which of the two versions of the previous chapter you would vote for and I have to admit I wasn't disappointed or surprised by the results. Opinion seems to be pretty close to being divided on the issue, with neither version getting a substantial majority of votes over the other. To those of you who very kindly took the trouble to vote, I thank you for letting me know your thoughts.

Ultimately it falls to me to make the choice, as it should do, I guess and I know that whatever decision I make will not please everyone but that's life! So, without further ado, here follows the next chapter which picks up the pieces from where version **ONE** left off.

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Naomi woke up early the next morning after a restless night during which she had tossed and turned for hours thinking about how she and Emily had had a stupid row to spoil what had been, for the most part, an idyllic day out together. It was all her own fault, of course. She could see that clearly now in the cold light of day. She had totally over-reacted to their close shave with the copper on the beach and she had made an arse of herself. What was far worse, however, was that she had upset Emily and it was that which had preyed on her mind all night and had kept her awake throughout most of it.

The business with the policeman had given her a hell of a fright, of course it had. That was perfectly understandable. Naomi had never remotely been questioned by the police before, not even about something as trivial as what she and Emily had been caught in the act of doing. She may have seen herself as some kind of social non-conformist, a political campaigner and activist in the making, perhaps even a rebel in the sense of being someone who didn't follow the herd when it came to popular opinion. But that didn't mean she was completely indifferent to what people thought about her in every aspect of her life.

She would have felt totally humiliated if word had got out that she and Emily had been charged with having sex on the beach and smoking dope. She knew she would have struggled to hold her head up high at college if she had been forced to stand down from her position as acting Student President on the strength of what would have been, when all was said and done, a relatively minor offence She still had her pride, which she guarded fiercely and it would have received a massive dent from which it would have taken her some considerable time to recover psychologically.

That being said, none of what had happened at the end of the day had been Emily's fault. Sure, Emily had been the one to instigate the messing around on the beach but she herself had hardly been a wholly unwilling participant. She hadn't exactly been desperately fighting Emily off and crying 'rape!' She had been up for it and in the mood, after a bit of gentle persuasion, as much as Emily and so was equally guilty of getting carried away by the heat of the moment (almost literally in fact) and the seemingly favourable circumstances. She had reacted unfairly towards Emily out of fear and embarrassment, looking to heap all the 'blame' on her when they were jointly responsible. She knew what she had to do and she would do it as soon as she could get her on her own.

She dragged herself out of bed and forced herself to go and stand in a hot shower for ten minutes which she often did whenever she felt emotionally drained and shaken. She found that the hot water teeming down all over her naked body helped to wash away the hesitancies and confusions that were dragging her down and made it easier for her to confront the truth of whatever it was that was playing on her mind. Feeling much refreshed and cleansed of all her doubts and uncertainties, she got dressed and went down to the kitchen where she found her Mum and Kieran already having breakfast together.

'Hi, love' said her Mum, with a cheery smile. Her Mum always seemed to be as happy as Larry now that she had Kieran in her life as a permanent attachment.

'Morning,' muttered Naomi and she couldn't help pulling a long face as she poured herself a cup of black coffee.

Gina and Kieran exchanged meaningful and silent glances and Gina cocked her head to one side as she looked at her daughter closely with a touch of concern.

'What's up love? Have you and Ems had a row?'

Naomi looked up at her Mum and wondered if all Mums could always read their children's minds or whether it was just a lucky guess on her part. Or maybe it was a fairly easy and logical conclusion to draw given that a day or so ago she had been as deliriously happy as a girl had a right to be.

'Sort of,' she mumbled as she drank her coffee, head bowed and staring down at the table.' 'How did you guess?'

'Well, you spent all day yesterday together at the seaside which you had been so looking forward to after all that work you did on Saturday and then you came back here alone and went straight to bed. You don't need to be Einstein to work it out.'

'Never try to hide anything from your mother, Naomi.' said Kieran, with a wry smile. 'Mothers can see right into your very soul. They can see the things even you can't bring yourself to look at!'

Naomi gave a half smile back, despite her mood of shame and contrition. 'Yeah, don't I know it?'

'So, what happened?' asked Gina, gently, not wishing to push it too far but still anxious to show her genuine concern. She adored Emily and was always secretly terrified about what effect a break up between the two girls would have on her daughter. Emily was the best thing to happen to Naomi, she reckoned and she would do anything within her powers to keep them together.

Naomi thought about it for a moment and decided that, much closer though they had become in recent months, this was not something she wanted her mother to know about, even though she suspected she would probably just laugh it off as something she had done herself when she was her age. Naomi wanted to keep the knowledge of her embarrassment to as few people as possible, on a strictly need to know basis.

'Oh, it was just something stupid, that's all. I realise now I was in the wrong and I need to tell her I'm sorry.'

'She'll forgive you, you'll see,' said Gina, relieved that it didn't sound too serious. 'She cares about you too much not to.'

'Just tell her you're sorry for having been a bit of a twat,' smiled Kieran, with a suspicion of a wink and a twinkle in his eye. 'I've found that's worked for me in the past.'

'That's true,' nodded Naomi, remembering the incident he was referring to. 'Funny how easy it is to act like one, isn't it?'

'Oh, some of us can manage to act like a twat every day and still somehow get away with it!' He raised his eyebrows as he looked at Gina with a straight face which made Gina laugh and even Naomi was prompted to force a weak smile at his mischievous cheek.

'I'd better be off,' said Naomi, draining the remains of her coffee, 'before she decides she never wants to speak to me again.'

She said goodbye, fetched her bag and was off out of the door and getting her bike to ride to college. Before she started pedalling away from the house, she took out her phone and sent Emily a short text message, asking her to meet her on the green at ten to nine and saying 'I'M SORRY!!!!!!!!!' She hoped that would be enough to persuade the redhead to meet her there and forgive her.

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At about the same time as Naomi was sending Emily her text message, Emily emerged from her bedroom fully dressed and made up and went downstairs to grab a cup of something hot to complete the waking up process. Not that she needed much waking up as she hadn't slept a great deal either. Like her girlfriend she had lain awake half the night, churning over in her mind the events of the previous day, smiling like a big kid over the happy, fun moments and frowning and grimacing tearfully over the unhappy end to the day when Naomi had shocked her with her selfish reaction.

As she walked into the kitchen to find the whole family, unusually, already sitting at the table having breakfast, Katie looked up immediately and asked Emily directly in a tone and with a look that seemed to suggest an air of quiet triumph, 'So, what's Naomi done to upset you so much, then?'

'What?' said Emily, taken aback. _How the fuck could she have known about last night? It wasn't possible. The cow must be bluffing or just trying to wind her up!_

Her twin motioned towards Emily's phone which was lying on the table and explained. 'She's just sent you a text message, saying she was sorry and asking to meet you before college.'

'Fuck off, Katie! That's **my** phone and those messages are for **me**, not you or anyone else!' She grabbed the phone and started to bring up her text messages box, desperately searching to find Naomi's recent communication.

'Emily! Don't talk to your sister like that!' Mrs Fitch always got nervous and uptight whenever Naomi's name was even mentioned in her presence. She didn't approve of any of her children using bad language, especially the girls in front of their younger brother James, but on this occasion telling off Emily for use of inappropriate language at the table was a convenient mask to hide her real feelings of exasperation and frustration that her daughter was still seeing Naomi, against her express wishes and repeated requests for her to stop.

'It's just not fair!' lamented James, pulling a face of righteous indignation, in as much as a ten year old boy knows how to pull off such a difficult feat of facial engineering. 'Whenever I say 'fuck' I have to do ten chin-ups on the naughty bar whereas they just get a telling off.'

'Oi! That's ten more for that!' Rob Fitch glared at his son and pointed over towards the doorway. 'Go on.'

'See!! It's just not fair! I was just repeating what Emily said.' James had turned pink with frustration and was starting to splutter and grumble with commendable outrage.

'Why's Naomi sorry?' repeated Katie, turning her head towards Emily with a slight smirk which was hidden from their Mum and Dad.

'None of your business. Has Andy forgiven you for shagging Spencer, by the way?' Emily was in no mood to allow her twin to get away with holding any moral high ground in front of her Mum and Dad.

'I didn't shag Spencer, you cow!'

'Stop it, you two!' cried their Mum and Dad, almost in unison. Jenna didn't want an uncomfortable scene about boyfriends (or worse, girlfriends) at the breakfast table in front of James. Rob just wanted a quiet breakfast with his family before the daily grind at the gym, with no hassle, no scenes, and above all no requirement for him to have to get involved in things he didn't even begin or want to understand.

'Don't bother. I'm not staying here any longer, seeing as I can't get any privacy in my own home any more.' Emily got up from her chair and made to leave the room, staring daggers at Katie who just gazed back at her twin, unmoved and unfazed by the row she had callously instigated.

'This is still your own home then, is it love? I wasn't sure. I thought you might have already moved out,' said her Mum with a deliberately sombre expression and a slight tremble in her voice.

'Maybe I will. Maybe I'll go and live somewhere else where I can get some privacy…..and some bloody respect.'

Emily was furious with Katie for having unnecessarily brought up the subject of Naomi in front of their parents, a subject she made a point of steering well clear of on the few occasions when the whole family was together. She was also angry with herself for leaving her mobile lying around yet again, a constant fault of hers which had caused her untold trouble in the past and was obviously still proving to be a thorn in her side. Mind you, that still didn't excuse Katie for being as nosey as to pick up a message she knew was meant only for her sister. Katie still couldn't quite give Emily the full breathing space she demanded was hers as of right – she continued to intrude on her sister's life even if she was noticeably less domineering than she used to be.

Emily stormed out of the kitchen and made for the front door declining, with an adamant rebuff of '**NO,** **THANKS'** Katie's superficial peace-making offer of a lift to college with her and Andy. When she got outside, she stopped to read Naomi's message and a broad smile formed across her face for the first time since she had woken up that morning as she read Naomi's short, yet grovelling message. She glanced at her watch and realised that if she wanted to meet with her at the appointed hour she would have to get her skates on.

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Once their children had all left the breakfast table, each of them departing in contrasting frames of mind, Jenna took the opportunity to speak to her husband on the pressing matter of the day - at least as far as _she_ was concerned it was pressing. She didn't imagine for one minute it would do any good, though – she had known for years that Rob was a complete push-over as far as the girls were concerned. If the twins had ever needed disciplining for bad behaviour it had always been their Mum who had to administer the requisite reprimand and punishment. He would have let his little angels get away with murder if he could have had his way! He had always come down far harder on James than he would have dreamt of doing with the twins.

'Rob, you need to speak to Emily, please! Things can't carry on like this any longer. She's making a fool of herself over this girl and I know it'll all end in tears soon. I don't want to see her upset.'

Rob looked at his wife in silent irritation and despair and, for the umpteenth time, wondered why mothers always had to try to interfere in their children's problems and run their lives for them. Let people make their own mistakes, that was his unspoken motto and that way they'll learn from them. You can't wrap your kids up in cotton wool until they leave you and then expect them to cope with all the shit that's bound to come flying out of the fan sooner or later. He went to the school of hard knocks and harsh realities when he was their age and it never did him any harm, as he would constantly remind them all, if any of them ever cared to listen to his words of wisdom.

'Oh, come on love, you're getting yourself all worked up about nothing. It's just a phase she's going through, like all kids do. She's just experimenting, you know, 'finding herself' or whatever claptrap they call it nowadays_. It used to be called 'having some bloody fun' in my day, _he thought to himself_. _

Rob, it's more serious than that! She's completely besotted with this Naomi. She's hardly ever here any more, she's always round at her house, staying overnight. God knows what this girl's parents are thinking of, letting this go on under their roof.'

Jenna was clearly upset and at her wits' end but all Rob could think of was how bloody lucky Emily was to be able to get away from this madhouse so easily and so often. He wondered if it might be worth asking Emily if he could come with her next time she went to stay over at Naomi's just so he could get some bloody peace and quiet! He liked the sound of this Naomi, from what he'd heard of her from Emily – she seemed like a feisty lass who knew how to have a good time and enjoy herself.

'Look, I'll have a quiet word with her, if that's what you want but I really think you're making too much of it, honestly. Besides, relationships don't last long when kids are at that age. She'll probably get bored with being her friend soon enough and move on to someone else. (_Christ, maybe__** I**__ should have done that years ago!)_ In any case, it could be worse, love.'

Jenna stared at her husband in disbelief and screwed up her face. 'How?!'

'Well, at least we don't have to worry about some lad taking advantage of her and getting her up the duff, do we? If I were you I'd be much more worried about Katie. I mean, how many guys has she got through in the last six months. I can never keep up with their names!'

'Rob!! Is that supposed to make me feel better?!' Jenna looked as if she was on the point of having a nervous breakdown so Rob wisely decided it was high time he beat a hasty retreat before he could put his foot in it any further.

'I'll speak to her when I next see her,' he promised in a last-ditch attempt to placate his wife and get himself out of a mess of his own creation. 'Besides, when I think back to what I used to get up to when I was their age, I don't think we've really got anything to worry about with either of the girls.'

'What do you mean, Rob, 'What I used to get up to'?' Jenna stared at her husband in confused bewilderment for several seconds before continuing slowly and with exaggerated emphasis. 'Is there some secret about your past that you haven't told me?'

Rob looked back at his wife, equally puzzled as to what she might be trying to imply until the penny suddenly dropped and he reacted with a mixture of outrage and good humour at the ridiculous suggestion he assumed she was making.

'You're joking, aren't you?' he laughed out loud, his voice raised several octaves to indicate the strength of his denial. 'That's funny! Very funny! There's nothing odd about me! I'm one hundred percent man, I'll have you know. Or have you forgotten about yesterday afternoon already?'

On Sunday they had enjoyed the luxury of having the house completely to themselves for a large part of the day, with all three children out for at least the whole of the afternoon. As there was no football on the television Rob had suggested they made the most of this rare opportunity to be alone together upstairs in their bedroom.

Jenna smiled coyly and blushed a little, as her husband gave her one of his cheeky Scouse grins. 'No, I haven't forgotten.'

'Because if you have, I've got a bit of time before I have to leave for the gym if you need any reminding of how much of a regular guy I am!'

Jenna looked at the clock and said, 'Well, I haven't got the time, love. I'm running late already,' and with that she turned to get ready to go out, leaving behind a chuckling Rob Fitch, shaking his head in quiet amusement at the infinite capacity of women to leave him absolutely fucking baffled, mystified and unsure what planet they lived on.

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	22. Chapter 23

**Author's Message**

Sorry, it's been such a long wait for this update. I've been a bit busy with one or two other things but I hope you will think it's been worth the wait. Please review if you have the time – they are always so much appreciated!

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As Naomi approached the green in front of Roundview College she could already see Emily sitting on a bench with her back turned towards her. She knew she had a big apology to make and that there wasn't any point making any excuses or citing any extenuating circumstances. _Just admit to having been a complete idiot and hope that she'll forgive you,_ the blonde told herself. She hated it when they had a row, not that there had been many of them since they had become a proper item, and it was even worse when she knew it was her who had been in the wrong.

She approached the bench and came round to sit down next to Emily who looked up at her with an expressionless face, neither smiling with joy at seeing her nor scowling or showing obvious displeasure with her. Emily was perfectly ready to forgive Naomi – there wasn't much she would struggle to forgive her girlfriend for, if she thought about it – but she would at least insist that Naomi did a reasonable amount of crawling and grovelling first. She had been upset by Naomi's actions at the end of the previous evening and wanted to make sure there weren't any other hidden issues between them which needed to be brought out into the open.

'Hi,' said Naomi, forcing a weak smile. She was unsure just how much grovelling she would be required to do to win back Emily's affections. Emily was occupying the moral high ground here and it made Naomi feel rather vulnerable and exposed, a situation which she wasn't used to and which was going to test her strength of character. Naomi was accustomed to nearly always being in the right in an argument and this saying sorry malarkey didn't come easy to her.

'Hi,' replied Emily, turning to look at Naomi full on but without otherwise altering her position or her ambivalent facial expression. There followed an uncomfortable period of silence between the two girls, during which each appeared to be trying to size the other one up, looking for some miniscule tell-tale signs of forgiveness or contrition in their eyes, each almost waiting for the other to make the crucial first move. This probably only went on for ten or fifteen seconds but to Naomi it felt like a lifetime and she couldn't bear the silence or Emily's solemn, dispassionate expression any longer.

'Ems, I'm really sorry! Honestly, I am. I was such an arsehole last night; I completely overreacted to what happened with that policeman. I didn't mean to blame you. I know it wasn't your fault.'

She looked up at Emily with such an incredibly sad, miserable face that Emily was almost tempted to forgive her immediately and abandon all plans to make her squirm for a bit and drag the whole apology scene out a little longer. Naomi was biting her lower lip as was her wont in times of stress, nervousness or discomfort, a habit which Emily had always found utterly adorable and endearing, and her normally huge, smiling blue eyes looked very small and listless at this moment of vulnerability.

'You really hurt me last night, Naomi. It was horrible when you said she wanted to go home on your own and started almost blaming me for what happened. We'd had such a wonderful day together and what you said when we got back spoilt the whole day for me.'

Emily mustered up all her courage and forced herself to think back to how angry and upset she remembered feeling, so difficult and uncharacteristic was it for her to rub it in and pile on the misery for Naomi. But she knew it was important for their relationship that she wasn't _seen_ to be too easily forgiving and a complete pushover by Naomi. She wanted equal respect and admiration between the pair of them and caving in too easily and readily to Naomi's pleas for forgiveness would not have been the right way to go about achieving that.

But she was finding it SO hard to do this when what she actually wanted to do was to take Naomi in her arms and hug her and tell her it was all forgotten and that she still loved her, totally and completely. She steeled herself and flashed the most convincing hard stare at the blonde girl that she could manage, desperately hoping that Naomi would apologise quickly just a little bit more. She longed to call a halt to this necessary but unpleasant scene and cut short the agony she was going through, making her darling Naomi suffer like this – all for her own good and in the best interests of their future relationship.

'I know. Please forgive me, Ems. It'll never happen again, I promise. I really loved the day, too, up until then anyway. I spent all last night kicking myself for what I said.'

Naomi looked on the point of tears, Emily thought, and the redhead knew she couldn't bear to see that happen. Enough was enough. She was beginning to feel guilty for putting Naomi through this kind of slow torture when it was within her power tp pull the plug on it.

'It's okay, I forgive you,' she said with a huge smile and she threw her arms around the blonde girl who returned her embrace gratefully, almost crushing the life out of the smaller girl with the ferocity of her hug. The tow of them remained locked in this embrace, almost as if time had temporarily stood still, for some time before pulling back to gaze into each other's eyes. Both were now smiling and Naomi reached out to stroke Emily's flaming red hair and push a few strands away from her eyes.

'Just promise me you won't do that again, please! Promise we'll never go to bed on an argument ever again, either together or in our own. I hated crying myself to sleep.'

Emily meant what she said and Naomi could see that. The blonde girl nodded her head furiously and leant forward to gently press her moist, red lips up against Emily's. The redhead eagerly accepted the kiss as a more than acceptable form of apology and made a mental note that the one good thing about falling out with Naomi was the making up afterwards. For some reason her kisses seemed even more passionate and spine-tinglingly exciting when they were making up after having had a tiff. Not that that was necessarily a good enough reason to go through all the heartache in the first place, she thought.

As the two girls continued to virtually devour each other's mouths with the intensity and warmth of their kissing, a familiar voice suddenly disturbed their prolonged intimacy and brought them crashing back to earth with a bump.

'Jesus! Can't you two ever keep your hands off each other? One of these days you'll get arrested for indecent public behaviour.'

Freddie probably wasn't expecting his light-hearted, affectionate, throw-away remark to have produced such an extreme reaction from the two girls. After all, he had made similar comments and jokes many times before without either of them displaying any signs of annoyance or frustration at him.

But on this occasion his gentle piece of well-intentioned humour had the effect of provoking the girls into hurriedly prising themselves apart and looking at him with what he could only describe as mild panic and terror in their eyes.

'What….what do….what do you mean by that?' stammered a nervous-looking Emily while Naomi, equally flustered and unusually embarrassed, so it appeared to Freddie, was fixing a very peculiar stare at him, like she was suspicious about whether he meant it as a joke or not. Freddie looked across at Effy, who was standing alongside him, and the brunette pulled a face and gave the tiniest shrug of her delicate, yet beautifully sculpted shoulders to indicate that she didn't know what that was all about either

'Nothing! It was a joke, that's all. Christ, you two are touchy today, aren't you? I wasn't saying you shouldn't be kissing each other. It's……well… quite nice, actually.'

Freddie smiled at them broadly, showing his brilliantly white set of teeth and he gently pulled Effy a bit closer towards him and kissed her softly on the lips, as the tall, slim girl leaned in to him, responding to his call. Emily and Naomi had visibly relaxed by now, confident as they both were that Freddie's remarks were not loaded with terrifying significance but were just one of those inexplicably ironic coincidences that happened from time to time. They smiled at each other as they watched the other couple kiss briefly but sweetly before Effy decided that was enough public affection for nine o'clock in the morning.

'We ought to have a kissing competition some time,' said Emily with an infectious giggle which made the others smile, despite what she was saying. 'Which couple will win the all night snogathon? We could do it for charity!'

'Ems, you are a filthy perv at times, you know' said Naomi, shaking her head in good-humoured astonishment. 'You can count me out. I'm not in to any more public displays of affection – well, not on that sort of scale, I mean, 'added the blonde hurriedly to allay the suspicions of Freddie and Effy who had both raised an eyebrow in surprise at her last ambiguous remark.

'Come on, it's time to go in,' said Emily jumping smartly to her feet, as she had recognised the urgent need to change the subject and help Naomi stop digging a bigger hole for herself to fall into.

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Emily's familiar mobile phone ring tone cut an unexpected swathe across the mournful silence of the dinner table. Mindful of how Katie had picked up her last call in her absence earlier that morning, Emily had vowed since then never to let her phone out of her sight, indeed to have it on or near her person at all times. As the phone rang she instantly reached for it in the pocket of her jeans and answered the call, ignoring the frown of her mother who hated phone calls being taken at the dinner table.

It was Naomi and she answered without any great fuss, deliberately not displaying too much interest or excitement, as she had agreed with Naomi earlier on in the day, after having related to her the story of her latest exchanges with her mother and with Katie on the subject of their relationship. Emily had decided to keep things very low key in future when she was at home and not to go overboard with her reactions whenever Naomi called her or sent her a text message. She was bored and tired of the constant bickering with her family over her and Naomi and had determined henceforth to keep schtum about anything relating to Naomi if she could possibly help it.

'Hi,' she said in a very flat voice and proceeded just to listen to Naomi's relatively brief message before saying 'Okay' and hanging up. Katie, who was sitting closest to Emily of all of them, thought she had just about made out the sound of Naomi's voice on the other end of the line and asked the question that was on the lips of not only her but their mother also.

'Have you made up with Naomi?' she asked, sounding surprisingly interested and genuinely concerned, for once, so it seemed to Emily and consequently Emily looked over at her twin and nodded slightly. 'Good. I'm glad,' she said quietly and, noticing her sister's expression of unconcealed astonishment and disbelief, added for good measure, 'Honestly, Em. I am pleased. You can be a bit of a cow to live with when you two have fallen out, you know.' She gave her younger twin half a smile and Emily was so shocked that she had reciprocated with her own version of a sisterly grin before she could stop herself.

'I take it you're out again tonight, then, Em?' sighed Jenna Fitch, with a note of resignation that was increasingly becoming a feature of the predominantly short conversations she had been reduced to having with her youngest daughter nowadays.

'We both are, actually,' replied Emily, looking across at Katie. 'We've been invited to go over and give Cook some support and some takings on his first night running his uncle's pub.'

'Great,' said Katie. 'Is everyone else going?'

'It looks like it. We're to meet up there around half past eight.' Emily was quietly ecstatic that Naomi had said she would be coming along this time, unlike the last time they all went out drinking together. Furthermore her girlfriend had briefly mentioned something about having a surprise bit of news to tell her which had excited her and left her anxious to see her as soon as possible. Emily loved surprises and going out with Naomi had to date provided a constant stream of surprises for her. She never knew what was going to happen from one day to the next.

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The gang had only been in the pub for half an hour or so but they were all in complete agreement – Cook appeared to be well and truly in his element. He was the picture of bonhomie and high spirits, although Freddie and JJ were hoping and praying that this was just the product of natural excitement at a new chapter and adventure in his life and not narcotically inspired, as sadly was all too often the case with Cook. Your first night in charge of running a pub was not the ideal time to get off your head on dope and pills, they reasoned.

This being his uncle's pub and therefore his habitual drinking hole, Cook was very well known to all the regular drinkers and to the entire bar staff as well so he didn't exactly have the usual problem most people face in a new job of settling in to an unfamiliar and potentially hostile environment. He was laughing and joking with both punters and staff alike as he helped serve the drinks and create a lively atmosphere around the bar.

'Credit where credit's due,' said Freddie, a touch surprised, 'he's not just sitting back and knocking down the pints and leaving everyone else to do the work.'

'He seems to be really enjoying himself,' JJ noted, nodding his head in agreement. 'So does everyone else.'

'Maybe he's finally found his true vocation in life,' suggested Naomi with a rueful grin.

'He'd have been better off doing an A level in pub management rather than English,' said JJ with a nervous laugh.

'Jay, if it had been on the syllabus, he would have! His English has always been shit, anyway.' Freddie smiled as Cook shouted a raucous greeting over to him and raised his glass in acknowledgement.

'Maybe getting kicked out of college will be the best thing that's ever happened to him,' said Panda, looking round at all the others for approval. 'He never really liked it there, did he?'

'That's because it's a shithole, Panda. I defy anyone to actually enjoy going in there every day,' Effy said with a surprising amount of feeling and resentment in her voice. 'How is anyone supposed to get anything out of that dump? Hardly anyone on the teaching staff gives a toss what happens to us and the few that do don't have the resources to help us.'

'Well, hopefully I might be able to do something about that soon,' said Naomi trying to inject a note of positivity and optimism into the conversation. A few weeks ago she would have agreed one hundred percent with Effy's sentiments and recognised the picture of doom and gloom she was painting but now she was filled with a sense of purpose and optimism in her new role as acting Student President. It was a role which she fully intended to take very seriously indeed. She was determined to make a difference at Roundview College otherwise she would consider herself to have been a failure.

'How did your first staff meeting go today?' asked Panda. 'Did you have loads of wicked stuff to eat, like doughnuts and cake and biscuits?'

They all burst out laughing at Panda's simplistic and endearingly childlike view of staff meetings. Panda would never knowingly overcomplicate any topic of conversation with peripheral matters of highbrow seriousness. If life for her was not quite like a box of chocolates, then a decent helping of doughnuts was a pretty damn good substitute.

'I'm afraid not, Panda. It was all a bit too serious for that. But it went well, I think. Harriet liked the paper I gave on my thoughts on improving life in the college. And I'm fairly sure she's going to agree to me going to the Sixth Form Student Presidents Conference in Oxford in a few weeks' time. She wants Roundview to be represented there. She said we've got a lot of ground to make up with the Schools Inspectorate and this is our first chance to make a good impression.'

This was the big secret that Naomi had mysteriously referred to in her phone call with Emily and she had filled Emily in on the details on their way over to the pub. Emily was very proud and excited for Naomi when she told her the news that she was going to be representing the college at such an important regional conference.

'That's brilliant! How long does it last?'

'It's only two days but I'll have to stay overnight for the whole conference, obviously. I can't be expected to travel there and back every day. The debates and forums and meetings start at nine every morning.'

Emily's face dropped appreciably at the news that she would be apart from Naomi for at least two whole days. Naomi spotted her disappointment immediately; indeed she had been expecting it and had an even bigger surprise for her girlfriend.

'But guess what? I reckon I can wangle it so you can come with me as my assistant and secretary!'

'What!? Yesssssss!' shrieked Emily at the top of her voice and began jumping up and down and hopping around in unbridled excitement and joy like a demented child while Naomi calmly stood watching and laughing at her easily excitable girlfriend. 'Are you sure?' she asked the blonde, hoping she wasn't joking or getting her hopes up before it had been confirmed as definite.

'Do you mean, am I sure I want to take you along? Well, I did think about taking JJ, to begin with, because he's incredibly well organised and he would be brilliant at putting together schedules of meetings and………'

Naomi was prevented from continuing her little wind-up at Emily's expense by Emily clamping her mouth over Naomi's and sucking the air out of her mouth as she damned near suffocated Naomi with an intense and heartfelt kiss. 'Shut up,' said Emily with a smile. 'I'm your right hand woman, not JJ, and don't you forget it!'

As the rest of the gang congratulated Naomi on her accomplishments so far in her new role and Emily beamed from ear to ear as the girls explained that they were both hoping to go to the conference, the pub door suddenly swung open to reveal Katie. She was dolled up in full 'dressed to kill' gear, complete with microscopically short skirt, high heels and full make up and she strolled confidently into the pub with Tom Spencer in tow right behind her.

At the sight of Spencer obviously with Katie the group drew a sharp collective intake of breath and the conversation came to a screeching halt. Freddie and JJ instinctively looked over towards the bar to see if Cook had noticed Spencer's arrival which he obviously had as he started to make his way round from the bar and headed over towards his friends whom Katie and Tom had joined.

'What the fuck is he doing in here?!' Cook glared across at Spencer who said nothing whilst directing his question at Katie.

'He's just come for a drink, like everyone else, Cook. He hasn't come to cause any trouble, have you, Tom?' Katie looked at Spencer anxiously, hoping that he would keep the promise he made to her earlier not to goad Cook and try to ensure something nasty would kick off between the two guys.

'Absolutely not. Katie told me this was, like, your opening night here, Cook and that she and the others were coming over to give you some moral support. Katie invited me to come with her and I thought buying a few drinks and helping you to get off to a good start on your first night was the least I could do.'

Spencer spoke politely, respectfully and pleasantly, nobody could deny that and on the face of it his explanation seemed genuine and plausible – to anyone who didn't know him very well and especially to Cook who didn't trust him an inch. Cook had always maintained that you always knew when Spencer was talking bullshit or lying because you could see his lips moving.

'I want you out of here, Spencer. This is my pub now and I'm very choosy who I allow in it. Arseholes, tossers and wankers are strictly forbidden and you fail on all three counts. Get the fuck out of here!'

Cook reckoned he had spelt out his position plainly enough so that nobody could claim to be in any doubt as to where he stood on the matter. Freddie and JJ got up and went over to Cook to calm him down just as Katie started to shout and rant at Cook, asking him who the fuck he thought he was, telling him that he didn't own the pub, his uncle did and he couldn't ban anyone unless his uncle agreed. Things were just on the edge of getting very heated and potentially out of hand when Freddie grabbed hold of Cook, dragged him to one side and spoke to him vehemently. The others couldn't hear what was being said, preoccupied as they were with calming Katie down and apologising to Spencer who had stood calmly by watching and listening to everyone.

After a while, Cook and Freddie came back to the group and, prompted by Freddie with a not terribly subtle nudge of his elbow, Cook looked long and thoughtfully at Spencer at Katie and finally spoke to them.

'Okay, you can stay. But I'm keeping my eyes on you and the first hint of any trouble and you're out. Do you understand me, Spencer?'

'Loud and clear, Cook. You're the boss in here. What you say goes. I've just come with Katie to have a few quiet drinks and enjoy myself. No more, no less.'

Cook looked Spencer up and down, bit on his lip as if he was willing himself to control his short fuse and then abruptly turned on his heels and returned to the bar. The pub had fallen silent while this unforeseen side show had been going on and, aware of the attention and interest that his little scene had generated, Cook called out in a commendably controlled and happy voice, 'OK, ladies and gentlemen, the cabaret's over now. Let's get back to drinking and enjoying ourselves, shall we? Whose round is it next?'

The customers immediately took their cue and the pub was once again filled with the normal buzz and murmur of animated conversation and the sound of clinking glasses.

'Well done, Freds,' said a mightily relieved JJ, who was seriously worried that something unpleasant was going to kick off then. The others all echoed JJ's appreciation of Freddie's strong and determined intervention and as Freddie sat down in his seat again, modestly thanking everyone and saying it was nothing, Effy looked over at Emily and Naomi, smiled and the three girls cried out in unison 'Our Hero!'

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	23. Chapter 24

**Author's Message**

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As Emily and Naomi walked back to Naomi's house at the end of the evening round Cook's uncle's pub there was only topic of conversation on their lips. As they huddled up close to one another underneath a huge umbrella which was sheltering them from the driving rain which had started to fall only minutes after they left the pub, they were eagerly discussing Katie's shock arrival with Tom Spencer.

'So, is Katie actually going out with him, do you think?' asked Naomi as she tightened her grip on the redhead around whose tiny waist she had thrown a comforting arm.

'God knows. She hardly tells me anything about what she's doing nowadays. We're not as close as we used to be. We haven't been, really, ever since you and I got together. I think it's her way of coming to terms with it.' Emily sighed heavily as she often did when talking about her twin sister. She was increasingly struggling to understand Katie's actions and motives.

'She was taking a hell of a chance bringing Spencer along tonight. I mean, she must have known how Cook was bound to react. Spencer isn't exactly on Cook's Christmas card list, is he, after that business with the goat at college.'

'Maybe she did it deliberately to wind Cook up, although Christ knows why she would have wanted to do that. It's not like he's done anything to her that I'm aware of.'

'She probably did it to wind you up, Em! You know, show your Mum and Dad she's going out with a good looking, intelligent, level-headed guy for once. That's bound to encourage your Mum to step up her campaign to persuade you to 'ditch the dyke!'

Naomi and Mrs Fitch still weren't on speaking terms, indeed they were barely on nodding terms, so infuriated was Jenna by Emily's now open and public relationship with the tall platinum blonde. Jenna still could hardly bring herself to even refer to Naomi by her name, preferring rather to call her 'that girl' whenever she cropped up in conversation with Emily. Naomi doubted privately that Emily's Mum would ever be reconciled to their relationship or to Emily being gay and going out with ANY girl.

'You think Spence is good looking?' Emily could hardly believe her ears and turned her head to stare at Naomi, her face revealing all too easily her shock and dismay at the blonde's description of him. It always touched a raw nerve with her whenever Naomi mentioned any boy in even mildly appreciative terms. Her insecurities about Naomi's commitment to her hadn't completely gone away for good despite the daily increasing strength and closeness of their relationship. She felt that in the deep recesses of her mind she would forever be afraid some guy would turn Naomi's head and whisk the blonde away from her.

'Not like that, silly! I just mean compared to all the brain dead, primitive orang-utans she's gone out with before, Spencer is a definite improvement.' Naomi flashed a reassuring smile at Emily to dispel the fears and suspicions that she knew had been rising to the surface in Emily's feverish, overactive imagination. 'Your Mum is bound to like him if she ever meets him, isn't she?'

'I guess so, sighed Emily yet again. 'I suppose he's got the sort of natural, easy charm that will pull the wool over her eyes and make her think he's perfect boyfriend material for her precious daughter.'

'Yeah. Precious being the operative word.'

Naomi could never resist seizing on any easy opportunity to have a dig at the older twin. Secretly she thought that it was a good thing that the twins hardly saw much of each other or confided in each other any more. It had been high time Emily allowed her own unique personality to blossom forth instead of constantly being stifled by the domineering and selfish Katie. She was more than aware that their relationship had given Emily the chance to break free from her twin and she was determined that her girlfriend shouldn't be dragged back towards Katie, particularly by their loathsome mother.

'What happened to the guy she's been going out with, you know that fitness guy, what's his name?'

'No idea,' said Emily with a shrug of her shoulders. 'I haven't seen Andy for a while. She's probably dumped him like she's dumped all the others before him. She doesn't know what she wants in a guy so none of them stand much of a chance, do they?'

'If he's got any sense at all, which I guess is unlikely otherwise why would he have gone out with her to begin with, he ought to be counting his lucky stars he's had such a lucky escape!'

'You are horrible to her, Naomi. She's not that bad!' Emily still had an unshakeable instinct to defend her sister from all attacks, however mild or joking they were. Increasingly distant twins they may have become, but twins they still were nevertheless and for Emily their relationship ran so deep that it couldn't be broken up that easily. She knew that if she was ever in trouble and Naomi wasn't around it would be Katie whom she would turn to first no matter what the state of their relationship was at the time. And she also knew that Katie would always run to help her.

The rain was mercifully easing off slightly just as they reached Naomi's house but they were relieved to get inside and feel the cosy warmth instantly breathe life back into their cold, wet bodies. Gina and Kieran were in the kitchen talking in low yet animated tones when the girls walked in to the room. As they did so, a strange eerie silence broke out between the two adults and they looked at each other nervously and a little hesitantly.

'Hi,' said Naomi and Emily, practically in unison, as they moved in to join them at the table. Noticing the concern which was all over their faces, Naomi asked 'What's up?' with only a mild interest showing in her voice. Gina got up out of her chair and came round the table to stand next to her daughter. This unusual move on Gina's part seemed to worry Emily even more than Naomi and she shot a quick glance across at Kieran who returned her gaze with a terribly solemn and serious face.

'Love, I've got some terrible news.' Gina paused for a fraction of a moment as if she was searching for the right words to come out with but then, possibly deciding that there wasn't any easy way to say what she had to say, she carried on talking, whilst putting an arm round Naomi's shoulders.

'It's your father, I'm afraid. He died a few hours ago. I got a call from Harry, you know, the friend he's been staying with. I'm so, so sorry, love.'

Naomi caught her breath as she listened to her mother give her the news that she knew one day she would receive but had thought would be a little while off still. Tears started to form in her eyes and Emily could see her biting her lip hard in a desperate attempt to hold herself together bravely and not break down crying in front of all of them. Emily immediately got up and ran over to Naomi and put her arms round her, as Gina stood back a little, as if approving of the redhead's spontaneous gesture of support and comfort, whilst still keeping her hand rested on her daughter's shoulder.

'I thought he had a few months to live, not weeks,' Naomi said with an expression of disbelief and confusion clearly visible on her tear stained pale face. It was as if the colour had all of a sudden drained away from her complexion and had left her looking deathly white and strained.

'Well, the doctors can't be certain about these things, love. It's in the lap of the gods, really. Sometimes you can survive much longer than they think you can and other times, well….it can come much quicker than they imagined.'

'It's probably for the best, Naomi, 'said Kieran, speaking softly and kindly for the first time. 'I know when my father died it was almost a relief. He wasn't the father I remembered any longer, he'd become a shell of the man he used to be. Sometimes it's less painful if the agony is over quickly.'

Naomi nodded at Kieran and sniffed loudly, reaching in her pocket for a tissue to blow her nose and dry her eyes while Emily clung on to her, devastated to se her girlfriend in such a state of shock and wishing she could make everything alright for her again but knowing that she couldn't.

'Harry has asked if you would go over and see him tomorrow. Apparently he's got something to give to you that your Dad left instructions should be handed over to you when he died.'

Naomi looked at her Mum without any great curiosity through eyes that had turned puffy and a little red from the few tears she hadn't been able to prevent herself from shedding. 'What is it?' she asked even though at that moment she couldn't care less what pointless trinket or memento he might have left her to remember him by.

_Christ, I hope he hasn't left the poor girl all his gambling debts_, thought Kieran who had found it difficult to believe Jimmy's story of having given up the gambling.

'I've no idea, love. Harry didn't say,' said Gina, with a weak smile, trying to comfort and console her daughter, even though the news of her ex-husband's death hadn't come as any great shock to her. She had seen it in his eyes that one time he had shown up at their house some weeks ago. She remembered thinking she could almost smell death had walked into the house when he turned up out of the blue. She had seen enough people die in her lifetime to be able to recognise a dead man walking when she saw one. But she hadn't wanted to say anything to Naomi in case she had got it badly wrong. Sadly, she hadn't. Now her duty was to stand by her daughter and help pull her through the shock and loss she would inevitably feel in the days ahead, even for an absent father who she hadn't seen for years.

An uneasy, painful silence reigned for a short while during which Naomi stared blankly down at the floor, as she searched in her mind for answers to the many questions that were flying around inside it. Emily sat right up close to her with her arms around her shoulders, stroking her hair and face and whispering the usual meaningless words of encouragement and sympathy one always comes out with in times like these because one never knows what else to say.

Suddenly Naomi got up and said in a somewhat shaky, though surprisingly clear and loud voice 'I think I'm going to bed now.' She turned round to Emily and asked her if she could give her ten minutes on her own before joining her and Emily nodded, understanding her need to be alone for a short while. She kissed her lightly on the cheek and watched as the blonde girl went over to her Mum and put her arms around her and hugged her for several moments .It was the first time Emily had ever seen Naomi do that to her Mum but then these weren't exactly normal circumstances. She said goodnight to Kieran and then left the kitchen and Emily could hear her climbing the stairs and head for her bedroom.

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At about the same time that Naomi and Emily were entering Naomi's house to be met with the sad news of Naomi's father's death, Katie was busy snogging the face off Tom Spencer in the back of a taxi. Her minuscule short skirt, which could almost have doubled up as a belt, had ridden up to around her waist and her flimsy, low cut top was half hanging off her boobs as they were being expertly and eagerly groped by a considerably aroused Spencer.

Katie was relieved that the evening at the pub had passed without any serious repercussions. The initial stand-off between Cook, Spencer and her had been no less than she had expected but it didn't really amount to much more than a bit of macho posturing and metaphorical muscle-flexing on Cook's part and an opportunity to reel off a few choice insults and jibes on her part. Spencer, as had been agreed beforehand, had remained diplomatically reserved and placatory, leaving Katie to take up the fight if it proved to be necessary.

The evening had been relatively pleasant, she thought, given the slight awkwardness felt by all the others at first. After a while though the coolness of the atmosphere had gradually thawed and was eventually replaced by something rather more tolerable and light-hearted. Spencer had proved to be an engaging and amusing addition to the gang's dynamic and she could tell that some of the group had started to warm to him a little by the end of the evening, notably Naomi, Effy and, surprisingly, Freddie. She wondered what Cook would think about his best mate making friends with the guy who indirectly was responsible for getting him kicked out of college.

'So are you still on for coming back to my place tonight then, babe?' said Spencer after coming up for air for the umpteenth time since they had crawled into the back of the cab. Katie was a pretty mean kisser but there were times when it felt like all the air in his lungs was being sucked out of him by a heavy duty, industrial strength suction pump.

'Cool, babe. Does that mean you're going to try to have your evil way with me again?' smiled Katie as she licked her lips and tasted Spencer's saliva around the corners of her mouth. She tossed back her long, flowing, red locks in what she presumed was an irresistibly sexy and provocative manner. Katie never had any doubts or uncertainties about what her strengths were and she was equally unafraid to use them shamelessly to get what she wanted. Her only problem was not knowing in her own mind what she eventually wanted to do with whatever it was that she had decided she wanted in the first place.

'Will it be worth my while to have a try? Should I be digging out the handcuffs and whip again?' asked Spencer with a cheeky grin and a wink which he knew from experience was a winning combination with a girl like Katie who loved a bit of barefaced cheek and innuendo provided it was tastefully presented with a winning smile.

'God! What are you like? My Mum warned me about guys like you.'

'I'm sure she did. She was only looking after your best interests, after all.'

'Yeah, I've always been interested in a bit of bondage,' Katie giggled hysterically at her own joke which set Spencer off into his own fit of laughter.

The two of them were so wrapped up in each other and their schoolboy/schoolgirl humour that they hadn't noticed that the cab had come to a halt and that the driver had turned round to face them.

'Are you two getting out here or do you want me to drive around a bit more until you've finished shagging each other's brains out?' asked the driver in a none too friendly tone.

'Sorry, mate,' said Spencer, somewhat sheepishly as he fumbled around in his jacket for his wallet.

'Hang on,' said Katie with a mischievous grin and a defiant stare at the visibly pissed off taxi driver. 'We haven't decided yet, have we?

'We're home, Katie,' Spencer gently yet firmly pushed the giggling girl out of the cab as he gave the driver a crisp twenty pound note. 'Thanks, mate. Keep the change.'

'Well, I suppose that'll help pay to get the stains off the seats,' muttered the taxi driver with as much good grace as he could muster after having had to spend the last twenty minutes putting up with virtually a live sex show in the back of his car.

Katie burst into yet another fit of drunken giggles at the cab driver's witty riposte and had to cling tightly on to Spencer to avoid losing her dignity completely and falling arse over tit onto the pavement.

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After a brief moment's hesitation, followed by a barely perceptible nod of encouragement from Emily, Naomi reached out her right hand and gingerly pressed the front door bell. Emily looked at her girlfriend intently as she stood next to her, waiting patiently for the door to open. She seemed much better this morning, she thought. Last night was difficult, as it was bound to be for anyone being given the shock news that their father had just died. When Emily eventually joined Naomi in their bedroom (she thought of it always nowadays as_ their_ room, not just Naomi's) Naomi was in bed but still awake, not crying as such but still in shock and very quiet and seemingly lost in thought.

Emily had quickly undressed and climbed into bed next to her so she could immediately wrap her arms around her and comfort her as best she could.

They stayed like that for ages, exchanging the odd word or two but largely lying in each other's arms in silence. Emily knew that this was one of those times when Naomi just needed her to be there with her but not actually do anything as such. When she was ready Naomi would tell her how she could help, if at all, and when she did Emily would do anything she asked. But she couldn't help but be anxious about what effect this might have on the blonde over the next few weeks.

For the moment, though, Naomi seemed to be bearing up reasonably well, she reckoned. Naomi's mother had called the college to explain that the sudden death of her father meant that Naomi wouldn't be coming in to school for the next couple of days and that Emily would likewise be absent, looking after her, which met with no objections from the college director. Naomi had slept a bit, though not a great deal and there were one or two telltale bags under the eyes which a little rudimentary application of make-up had failed to totally cover up Not that Naomi was the least concerned about how she looked that morning – it didn't seem remotely important.

The door soon opened and Harry, Naomi's father's best mate from way back, appeared on the door step and invited them in, after expressing his own condolences to Naomi with an unexpected yet warmly sympathetic hug. He must have been pretty upset too, Emily thought. After all, Jimmy was one of his oldest friends and the guy had practically died in his house.

The girls were shown through to the same room as the last time they had come round, but this time instead of inviting them to sit down and have a cup of tea Harry disappeared somewhere only to reappear a few moments later in the living room carrying an envelope which he handed over to Naomi.

'What's this?' Naomi asked, clearly puzzled. She looked at the envelope on which was written, in rather straggly, shaky writing, the one simple word – 'Naomi.'

'I've no idea,' replied Harry. 'He just asked me to give this to you after he died. He didn't tell me what was in it; he just insisted you be given it as soon as possible.'

'Open it,' said Emily softly, looking at Naomi who was just staring down at the envelope with a bewildered expression on her face. Naomi didn't know what her father could possibly have to leave for her that she might be interested in but she certainly wasn't expecting to be handed a simple envelope. From the weight of it in her hands it didn't contain anything heavy, definitely not cash. In fact money was the last thing in the world that she was expecting to be left by her Dad. Her father and money had never spent enough time together to be on even first name terms.

She opened it very carefully and precisely, as if she was intent on preserving the envelope and using it again. She looked inside, pulled a face of total incomprehension and reached her hand in to draw out a small, silver key, totally unremarkable except for the fact it had a number etched into it – 423.

'What the hell is this?' she posed the question to no-one in particular. She looked blankly at both Harry and Emily in turn but neither could give her any explanation as to why her father might have been so anxious to leave her such an odd item above anything else.

Harry gently took it from her and had a good look at it, turning it over in his hands before handing it back to her. 'Well, if I didn't know any better I would say it's a key to a locker of some sort.'

Where's the locker then?' asked Emily, as baffled as Naomi as to why he should have left her such a strange parting gift.

'I don't know,' said Harry. 'But I'll tell you something I do know. In all the time he was staying here, he only left the house twice on his own – without me, I mean. The first time was when he went round to see you, Naomi.' Both girls nodded to corroborate Harry's account of her father's movements. 'The second time was last week. He left the house one morning quite early, carrying some sort of holdall or bag, I think, and he didn't return until late in the afternoon – and he didn't have the holdall with him any more.'

'Did he say where he was going?' asked Naomi, curious in the extreme at her father's very odd behaviour in the last week of his life.

'No. But I've got a feeling he might have gone to the railway station.'

'What makes you think that?' asked Emily, intrigued and puzzled, just like her girlfriend. She had this weird feeling that this was going to be another one of those days of big surprises and unexpected discoveries.

'Well, he'd left a train timetable lying around in his room. I hadn't seen that before. So I reckon he must have gone to the train station at some point in the day. Though why, God only knows. Maybe he's left something there for you in a locker and this is the key to the locker.'

The girls looked at each other in utter bewilderment, neither knowing quite what to imagine or what to say. Eventually Harry said what was possibly on both their minds.

'Why don't you go down to the station and see if I'm right. It's the only idea I've got. If the key isn't for one of the lockers at the station then I don't know what it's for. It's not as if he's left you any clues, is it?'

A couple of minutes later the two girls took their leave of Harry after Naomi had thanked him profusely for all he'd done for her father in the last few weeks of his life. They looked at each other as they walked slowly away from the house and Emily raised her eyebrows and asked her girlfriend simply, 'To the station?' Naomi shrugged her shoulders helplessly and replied 'I suppose so. What else can we do? I bet it'll be a waste of time, though. Like everything else he did in his life. Full of promises but always short on delivery.'

Half an hour later they were inside the city's main railway station. After making the necessary enquiries, they set off in the direction of where the lockers were situated, which was slightly to the side and at the back of the main entrance hall. When they got there they found rows and rows of lockers, four lockers high each row and each locker clearly displaying a three figure number. It didn't take them long to find locker number 423.

Naomi took the tiny key in her right hand and looked at Emily .She didn't know why but she was breathing heavily and her stomach was doing peculiar somersaults. It wasn't as if she had any genuine expectation that the key would even fit. Even if it did, then she couldn't imagine there would be anything inside the locker that would be of any use or interest to her. So, why was she getting so nervous and freaked out?

'Go on, Naomi, open it!' cried Emily who was equally wracked with nervous excitement and anticipation and was burning with curiosity to find out what, if anything, was inside.

Naomi knelt down right to the ground as locker number 423 was in the middle of the bottom row of a whole block of lockers. She tried the key in the lock and it seemed to go in okay. She looked across at Emily who had turned bright red in the face from holding her breath like some kind of demented scuba diver stripped of the requisite breathing apparatus. As Emily nodded frantically to continue, Naomi turned the key in the lock and the door slowly opened as she pulled the key towards her. The blonde girl pulled the door half out and looked inside.

'Well, what can you see?' said Emily, barely containing her excitement and curiosity.

'There **is **a holdall in there,' said Naomi nervously.. 'Should I open it, do you think?'

'Sweetheart, if you don't, then I _fucking _will!' Emily almost shouted down to her girlfriend.

Naomi stuck her head right inside the locker and reached for the zip to the holdall. In a few seconds she had unzipped the bag and opened it up enough to have a good look inside at the contents. Almost as if she had received a violent electric shock she suddenly pulled away from the holdall and slammed the locker door shut, gasping loudly in what one might have mistaken for pain if it were not for the look of utter disbelief and shock which had almost frozen her entire face.

'FUCK!!' was all she managed to get out of her mouth at first and then, when a plainly disturbed and anxious Emily asked her what was inside the bag, she succeeded in forcing out with some effort a slightly more substantial reaction.

'Jesus Christ... SHIT!!'

Emily couldn't stand the suspense any more, otherwise she was afraid she was going to wet herself. Bending down alongside her girlfriend who moved aside to give her access to the locker, she opened the door, peered in and looked inside the holdall. She rummaged around with her hands for a few seconds inside the bag and then came out of the locker to sit next to Naomi. For a few seconds they just sat there looking at each other in stunned silence. Eventually Naomi gulped hugely and asked Emily in a trembling voice which mirrored her shaking body,

'How much do you think is in there, Em?'

'Fuck knows. Thousands and thousands, I think, 'answered Emily in little more than a breathless, rasping whisper.

The two girls continued to sit on the ground for some time with their backs to locker number 423, inside of which sat a very large sum of money indeed, more money than either of them had ever seen close up in their lives, except perhaps on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?'

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	24. Chapter 25

Although time had seemed to have stood still for both the girls as they tried to take in the enormity of their discovery, it was in fact only a minute or two later when Naomi got up off the floor of the station and Emily stood up to join her.

'What are you going to do?' asked Emily in a curiously squeaky voice which demonstrated that she was still in a state of shock.

'I don't know, Em,' replied Naomi, sounding not quite as odd as Emily but certainly nothing like her normal confident self. 'I need to get out of here and think things through.' She turned around and bent down, stuck her head inside the locker again and zipped up the holdall and relocked the locker, all in complete silence.

'You're going to leave all that money in the locker?' Emily's eyes opened in wide in disbelief as she looked at her girlfriend aghast. 'Naomi! Are you sure that's a good idea?'

'Well, nothing's going to happen to it, Em. I've got the key. I assume this is the only one. It's not going to walk away by itself, is it? It's safe where it is……for the time being. Come on.'

Naomi held out her hand to a still stunned Emily who took it somewhat uncertainly and followed her girlfriend slowly but dutifully out of the station without a word of protest. If Naomi thought this was the right thing to do then she wasn't going to argue with her, whatever misgivings she might have had herself about the wisdom of leaving such an incredible amount of money behind, just lying in a bag in a station locker.

They retraced their steps back home in almost total silence. Emily was dying to talk to Naomi about the whole amazing incident but she sensed that Naomi preferred to wait until they got back to the relative sanctuary of her house before discussing it. On numerous occasions during their journey back home Naomi turned round for no apparent reason and appeared to be staring at people who were walking along behind them. She was practically looking them up and down, with a huge frown on her face as if she was trying to recognise someone familiar who she was expecting to run into.

Emily hadn't got a clue what or who Naomi might have looking for and she didn't dare ask her. The serious expression on the blonde girl's face didn't exactly encourage Emily to question her on the reasons for her curious behaviour and she realised she would have to wait until they got home t find out what it was all about. She had to trust her on this occasion and Emily's faith and confidence in her girlfriend was pretty rock solid.

Eventually the two girls reached Naomi's house after a rather tortured, bizarre, stop-start journey which Emily was glad to see the back of. Now they would finally be able to talk, she thought and heaved a sigh of relief as they went inside. Naomi made straight for the stairs and almost ran up them, with Emily struggling to catch up with her, and the two girls went into Naomi's bedroom, whereupon Naomi immediately shut the door firmly behind them.

The blonde leaned hard against the door, as if she was in urgent need of something solid to support her and stop her from falling down. She started to breathe heavily, puffing her cheeks out in the process. Emily came over to her and put her arms around her to comfort her as she could see she was looking more than a bit freaked out, understandably given what had just happened.

'Jesus Christ, Em! I don't fucking believe this!'

'I know. Nor do I. I mean, where's this money come from? Hs your Dad left it to you? Is it yours now?'

Naomi shook her head in amazement and wished she knew the answers to all of Emily's perfectly reasonable questions.

'I've no idea. But I can't help thinking it's……you know… dodgy money.' She looked at Emily with a long, sad face, which was totally at odds with the expression one would normally expect to see from someone who had just been given an obscene amount of money to keep.

'Why? I mean, your Dad was never a criminal, was he? I know you said he was a complete waste of space and that he screwed up your family with his gambling and his drinking but he never got into any real trouble, did he?' Emily was trying her best to remain calm and think logically and rationally. She knew Naomi would desperately want to hold on to the belief that her Dad, for all his faults and despite the mess he had made of his marriage and his family responsibilities, was fundamentally not a wicked man, just a weak one.

'Not when we were all together. But we've got no idea what he'd been up to after he left us. That was years ago, Em. God knows what he's been doing since then. Maybe he got mixed up with the wrong people and fell into crime. I don't know. None of us do.'

'But the money could be legit, couldn't it? Maybe he won it gambling. That would make it OK, wouldn't it?' Emily smiled at her girlfriend, valiantly trying to persuade her that the picture she seemed determined to paint of her late father might be unduly pessimistic and negative. She wanted to raise Naomi's spirits, give her some hope that the scenario didn't have to be as black as what she was making it out to be, but Naomi was clearly not going to be easily won over.

'For fuck's sake, Ems. Dad hardly ever won a bloody bet in his life! He was the world's unluckiest gambler. If he had bet on the only four legged horse in a race and all the others had two legs and were blind he still would have lost.'

Emily couldn't help letting out a small snigger at her girlfriend's amusing joke about her father's unfailing talent for picking out losers. Naomi smiled back at Emily for the first time in almost twenty four hours and the two held each other close for a while, as Naomi rested her head on Emily's shoulder and the redhead stroked the blonde girl's hair and kissed her lightly on the neck.

'Besides, if the money was kosher, why would he have hidden it in a station locker like that? He could have just left it to me like parents usually leave their money to their children. It _has_ to be dirty money, Ems. I can't see what other explanation there is.'

Naomi looked so miserable and dejected that the redhead could almost feel her pain and suffering. It must be bad enough to have your father die on you at such a young age. But to find out that he may have been a criminal in later years, after having seen him destroy your whole family life with his reckless gambling and drinking, had to have been truly heartbreaking, Emily was as upset and sad for her girlfriend as if it had happened to her and she tried vainly to find some words of comfort to say to her but as is often the case in these situations only mindless platitudes and meaningless expressions of sympathy tend to come out. She thought about trying to change the subject a little and satisfying her own curiosity at the same time.

'Why were you looking around all the time when we were coming home? What was all that about?'

'I had this weird feeling, I can't quite explain it but……..I thought we were being followed, Em.' Naomi looked at Emily with a very serious, puzzled expression so Emily knew she wasn't having a laugh with her

'What? Oh, come on, Naomi, you must have been imagining it! Who did you think was following us?'

'I don't know. I tried to see if I could spot anyone who looked a bit…..you know…..funny but there wasn't anyone in particular. Everyone looked totally normal.'

'That's because they were. _No-one was following us, Mimi_!' Emily sometimes called Naomi by the special private pet name she had invented for her whenever she really wanted to make a particular point to the blonde girl. She never referred to Naomi by it unless they were alone because even though the blonde really loved the pet name she would have felt totally embarrassed if Emily had called her by it in front of anyone.

'I suppose not. I mean, why would they? It's not as if anyone round here would have known about the money, would they? Dad was only back here a short while.'

'Exactly. You're getting a little bit melodramatic, aren't you? It's the shock of everything that's happened, I expect. You're just a little bit jumpy at the moment, that's all. You'll feel better; just give it time, sweetheart.' Emily gave her girlfriend a big hug which Naomi returned gratefully and the two girls stayed locked in a loving embrace for several minutes.

'Even so,' said Naomi, reluctantly forcing herself out of Emily's arms, 'Whether the money is legit or not, the fact remains that I have the key to the locker and I don't want to lose it until I've decided what I'm going to do. I think I should hide it somewhere for now.'

'Hide it from who? Where? Somewhere in here?' asked Emily, looking around her. 'What about in your make-up bag?'

'No. I know a really good place. No-one will ever think of looking there.'

'Why should anyone want to be looking for it, Naomi? Who might be looking for it? You're getting all melodramatic again!'

'Just wait here, I'll be back in a minute or two.' Naomi went out of the room and closed the door behind her, leaving a bemused and confused redhead shaking her head and smiling in amusement at the blonde's strangely secretive behaviour.

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It had just turned eleven o'clock in the evening when Naomi, Emily, Gina and Kieran climbed into Kieran's car which he had managed to park within a reasonable walking distance away from the pub. It had been Gina's suggestion that the four of them go out for a few drinks and some good, honest pub grub at a local gastro pub about half an hour's drive away.

Emily had thought it was a brilliant idea and although it required her to use a little of her innate charm and persuasive skills at first, eventually she succeeded in persuading her girlfriend that it would do her good to get out and have a bit of fun in a social environment with her new 'family.' The redhead thought that anything that would take Naomi's mind off the extraordinary events of the last twenty-four hours had to be a good idea.

By and large the evening had proved a success. Naomi had managed to relax a bit after an uncertain, quiet start. She had joined in with her Mum and Emily in laughing their heads off at some of Kieran's hilarious stories about when he was a student, including one memorable episode when he had been forced to hide in a cupboard to avoid being discovered in a girl's room after twelve o'clock at night. The food had been good and Kieran apart who was driving, they had downed a few drinks and had felt in much better humour by the time they decided to head back home.

Naomi had decided against telling her Mum about the stash of cash in the station locker for the time being.

'Why not? She's your Mum!' Emily had asked, surprised. 'She'll know what to do with the money, won't she? I really do think you should tell her, Naomi.' But Naomi was adamant that she should be kept in the dark for the time being.

'If the money isn't legit, then I don't want her to get involved. Dad fucked her around enough when he was alive, I don't want her to get hurt by him now he's dead.'

Emily could half see the logic of Naomi's argument but felt uneasy that her girlfriend was keeping back something important like that from her mother. It had made her feel a tiny bit uncomfortable during the evening having to lie to Gina when the girls were asked by her if everything was okay. She didn't like not being totally straight and up front with Gina but Naomi had kicked her gently under the table to warn her not to say anything and she took the blonde's lead in pretending things were fine.

They all got back home safely in one piece, Naomi and Emily staggering and lurching into the house ever so slightly from the drinks they had knocked back that evening which made Gina smile and shake her head in mild amusement. However the light-hearted mood which all of them had returned home in came to an abrupt halt the minute they walked into the house for the sight they found themselves facing sent a chill through their bones and wiped all smiles and laughter off their faces.

The house had been burgled while they had been out or at least that was the immediate conclusion all of them reached as they stood in utter disbelief, hands clasped over their mouths in shock and stunned silence as they wandered from room to room checking if it was the same all over the house. The place looked like a bomb had just been dropped on it. It had been well and truly ransacked, things were strewn everywhere, items had been swept onto floors and carpets, drawers turned out, virtually the whole house had been transformed from a lovely, neat, homely place into an absolute car crash which would take them some considerable time to put right again.

At one point, when Gina and Kieran had both gone upstairs to check whether it was the same up there as downstairs and see if all her jewellery had been taken, which mercifully and bizarrely it hadn't, Naomi told Emily to quickly see what it was like in her bedroom. When Emily had returned back downstairs a couple of minutes later to report that it was much the same as everywhere else, Naomi had a relieved look on her face as she confirmed to Emily that the key to the locker was still safely in its hiding place.

Emily looked at Naomi with big wide eyes and mouth open in astonishment. 'Do you really think that's what this is all about?' she whispered, gesturing all around her at the mess which the burglars had left behind them.

'I don't know, Em. But it's bloody funny how this has happened just a few hours after we came back home with the key to a small fortune. Bit of a coincidence, don't you think? And I'm not sure I believe in coincidences all that much!'

'Nothing seems to have been taken, love' said Gina as she and Kieran came down the stairs. 'I don't understand it. Why would burglars leave the tele, the radio, the computer, everything of any value whatsoever? It doesn't make sense.'

'Maybe it was just kids,' growled Kieran. 'They've broken in through the back door. They probably just fancied turning a house over for a bit of a laugh, because the sad bastards had nothing else to do. If I ever get my hands on the little fuckers………' he tailed off lamely as he searched desperately for the right words to describe exactly what measure of punishment he would mete out to the perpetrators of the carnage they were surrounded by.

'They'd probably beat the crap out of you, love,' said Gina, finishing off Kieran's sentence and they all nodded, suspecting deep down that Gina was sadly probably not too far off the mark.

'Oh well, I suppose I'd better call the police,' said Gina with a heavy sigh. 'The sooner we do that and they come round and have a look, the quicker we can start to clean up.'

'No!!' exclaimed Naomi with a sudden shrill cry which startled all the others and made them turn round and look at her in surprise. 'I mean, what's the point? Nothing seems to have been taken, you said so yourself, so there's bugger all the police can do. They won't be interested if nothing's been stolen. They've got far better things to do with their time.' Naomi looked at Emily and the redhead raised a questioning eyebrow as she returned the blonde girl's silent plea not to say anything.

'Are you sure, love? After all, a crime's been committed. Our house has been broken into! Don't you want the people who did this to be caught?'

'Of course I do. But the police will never find them. It's not as if they might catch them trying to flog any of our stuff – nothing's been nicked. What's the point in bothering them? Just leave it, Mum and let's just go to bed. We can tidy the place up in the morning.'

'Naomi's right, Gina,' said Kieran, nodding. 'There's nothing we can do now. Let's leave it until the morning. It won't take us that long to put things back together again.'

Gina shrugged her shoulders and bit her lip to stop herself crying as she looked around in dismay and anger at the devastation that he had been left for them to deal with. It had taken her a long time to get their house to look really nice after she had given all their hippy houseguests their marching orders earlier on in the year. Now she would have to do it all over again.

The next morning after breakfast was spent putting the house back together again or at least into some kind of recognisable order. The four of them worked like Trojans, each assigned to a particular task and between them they had managed to break the back of it by lunchtime. Gina was so grateful to Emily for staying on after breakfast to help out that she thanked her literally dozens of times throughout the morning, so much so that Emily got quite embarrassed after a while and Naomi had to step in eventually and tell her mother to pack it in.

Emily smiled at Gina, who had looked similarly embarrassed herself to be told off like a naughty schoolgirl by her own daughter, and went over and hugged her. She told her she was doing it because she wanted to help them and she would have offered to help out even if she hadn't been there at the time of the discovery. Kieran couldn't help bursting out laughing at the sight of those two hugging each other in a display of mutual appreciation and beckoned Naomi over to hug her in exaggerated fashion as well, just to gently take the piss. The whole episode ended with Gina and Emily throwing cushions at him to shut him up.

After some lunch Naomi and Emily bade Gina goodbye, saying they were off out and Kieran disappeared back to the college as he had only taken the morning off. When they got outside Emily asked Naomi where they were going.

'I want to go back and see Harry and have a word with him. Maybe he might know what Dad might have been up to these last few years. He just might know something which explains where all that money came from.'

'Fair enough,' nodded Emily approvingly. 'That makes sense. It's got to be worth a try, I suppose. But what if he doesn't know a thing? What then?'

'I don't know,' admitted Naomi with a helpless shrug. 'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.'

The two girls started walking the route to Harry's house, arm in arm and Emily was pleased to see Naomi seemed slightly more cheerful and upbeat than she had been the night before. Maybe she was being more optimistic and positive than she had a right to be but, whatever the reason for her improved mood, Emily was just grateful to see her girlfriend sounding a bit more like her normal self.

As they were walking along the street chatting, they both all of a sudden heard the sound of screeching wheels behind them and turned round without much interest to see a car pull up alongside the pavement just a few yards ahead of them. An ordinary looking man opened the door and got out from the back seat, throwing a cigarette end on to the pavement as he got out. Neither girl paid much attention to him and they had already resumed their journey when suddenly Emily let out a high pitched scream as she was roughly grabbed by the same guy and unceremoniously bundled into the back of the car. She instinctively tried to fight the guy off whilst continuing to scream her head off but he was too powerful and the redhead was pushed inside the car within seconds of being grabbed.

Naomi was taken completely by surprise by the speed, efficiency and suddenness of the attack on Emily and before her brain had been able to fully register what had happened the car was already tearing up the road with an utterly distraught and stunned Naomi running hopelessly in forlorn pursuit after it, screaming Emily's name at the top of her voice as the tears cascaded down her cheeks.

As the tall blonde slowly came to a halt, halfway up the road, when the car had finally disappeared out of her sight, she collapsed in a tearful heap by the side of the road. One or two people who had witnessed the incident from a slight distance came rushing over towards her to comfort her as she lay by the pavement sobbing her heart out, unable to comprehend what had just happened. As she was being gently helped to her feet by one or two concerned people her mobile rang and she immediately reached for it frantically in her bag and took the call without looking to see who it was. Instinct told her the call was tied up with what had just happened.

'Who are you? Where are you taking her?' she cried bursting into floods of tears once more, totally oblivious to the strange glances being exchanged by the passers by who had gathered around her now. She heard a man's voice on the other end of the line speak very calmly and very slowly, in a chillingly menacing voice despite the extreme politeness with which he addressed the distraught young girl.

'Miss Campbell, listen to me very carefully. You have something that belongs to us that we would like to get back. We now have something of yours that we're sure you would like to get back. Do I make myself perfectly clear?'

'Yes!' cried a dumbfounded Naomi, strangling a sob of despair. 'Please don't hurt Emily!! I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt her, PLEASE!!'

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**Author's Message**

I am considering bringing this story to a close with this chapter, although probably only temporarily. I have felt that the last five or six chapters have been fairly poor in quality and that they are sadly lacking in comparison with some of the earlier chapters. It is fair to say that I feel that I have rather run out of steam with this story and that it may have gone well past its sell by date.

Possibly what is needed is for me to take a complete break away from it for a while which MAY give me the opportunity to re-evaluate it without feeling the pressure to update it on a regular basis. Such a break might help me to rediscover some inspiration and imagination to continue it at a later date. Or I might decide that it is better just to leave it where it is. I don't know. I have, however, tried to finish this chapter on a bit of a knife-edge, like the end of a TV series often tends to do!

Either way, a period of time away from this story will enable me to concentrate on my other current story, 'Boy Meets Girl', which I am still hugely enjoying writing and which still appears to enjoy consistent support and favour with the reading public. With the additional conclusion this week of my Series 3 Episode 6 story, I will now be in a position to update 'Boy Meets Girl' far more often than has been possible in the last couple of months which I hope will be warmly welcomed by fans of that particular story.

I would like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed 'Three's Company' for their support and encouragement ever since I began it way back in May. It was my first ever fanfic and I had absolutely no idea whether anyone would read it at all! Who knows, perhaps you may get the chance to continue do so again in the near future!

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	25. Chapter 26 Author's Message

**Author's Message**

I have decided after some thought that I will continue with 'Three's Company'. I was in two minds initially but one or two of you have asked me not to leave the story where it currently is and have said how much they want me to carry on which has greatly encouraged me. I feel a couple of weeks' breathing space away from the story has benefited me and I am now thinking of penning a new chapter over the next day or two.

However, I would like to introduce an element of 'audience participation' with the readers first. You might recall that at the end of the last chapter Emily had been abducted by 'persons unknown' leaving a distraught Naomi helpless at the side of the road. The question is: where do I go from there? I have thought of a number of possible scenarios to take the story forward and my proposal is to set them out for you and let you decide which one you would like to see me run with. Alternatively, if anyone comes up with a suggestion of their own which I think will work even better, then I will run with that storyline.

Here are the various options which I have come up with so far:

Emily is eventually re-united with Naomi, safe and sound, as Naomi rushes to her rescue on her own - but with the money probably gone for good.

The police are involved in the action and it becomes a 'three-way race' against time to save Emily and possibly to recover the money.

The police are ignored as Naomi turns to family or friends for help in getting Emily back safe and sound.

Things are not what they appear to be as assumptions about the identities and motives of the kidnappers and the provenance of the money are proved totally misguided.

It all ends in tears and tragedy as what should have been a straightforward swap goes terribly wrong and one or more lives are lost (but could be anyone!)

If you particularly like the sound of any of the above scenarios please let me know. However if you think you have an even better suggestion as to how I can pick up the story from where I left it I would love to hear from you! Either way, please let me know what **YOU** would do in my position. At the moment I'm really torn between a couple of the possibilities so I'm hoping you might all rally round and point me in one direction!

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	26. Chapter 27

**Author's Message**

First of all I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you who accepted my invitation to vote on which option you would like to see me choose to progress the current storyline from where I left it last. Also, many thanks indeed to those of you who have told me how pleased you were that I had decided to carry on with this story. Your support is much appreciated, believe me! That is a large part of the reason why I decided in the end to continue with the story after having taken a short break away from it. You clicked on to the last 'chapter' in record numbers (for me, that is!) not knowing it wasn't going to be a proper story update so I'm delighted to be able to bring you a genuinely new chapter of the story to read this time.

After having reviewed all the comments it appears that options 1 & 3 were the most popular, with option 2 close behind. I have therefore come up with an overall scenario which I hope will satisfy supporters of all these options. This should become clear as the sequence of events gradually unfolds over the next few chapters.

I hope you enjoy the start of the 'new series' of this story and I would love to hear any opinions and thoughts you may have on the forthcoming chapters**. THANKS ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT!**

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Naomi was doing her utmost to concentrate on what the kidnapper was saying even though she was shaking like a leaf and her heart was thumping so hard that she thought it was going to burst through her chest like something out of an alien movie.

She was barely conscious of the words of comfort and the questions that the people around her were coming out with, despite the vague feeling in the back of her fucked up consciousness that there was a familiar voice in amongst all the confused jumble of voices around her. The entire focus of her attention was the guy on the other end of the line who was continuing to speak to her in cold, clinical, controlled tones.

'She won't get hurt provided you do _exactly_ what I tell you. Do you understand?'

'Yes!' Naomi almost screamed down the phone. 'Just tell me what to do and I'll do it! Just don't hurt Emily!'

'We know you have the key to the locker where the money is. Go to the station, open up the locker, take out the bag and close the locker. Then leave the station immediately and wait outside the front until I call you again, Keep your phone switched on – if you want to see your girlfriend again.'

His last sentence provoked a fresh outpouring of tears and Naomi felt an unbearable pain in her chest which almost made her collapse on the spot. She willed herself to hold it together for just a few more seconds until she was done with talking to the heartless bastard.

'OK, I understand. But I haven't got the key on me, it's at home.' She prayed that the guy wouldn't think she was lying to buy herself some more time.

'Well, you'd better go straight home and get it, hadn't you?' He obviously believed her but his voice didn't betray any sympathy or understanding. 'One final word of warning, Miss Campbell. Don't even think of calling the police, will you. That'll be the surest way to ensure you'll never see your friend alive again.'

The most chilling and terrifying of threats are often delivered in the softest and quietest of tones and this was definitely a case in point. The man couldn't have put the fear of God into Naomi any more if he had shouted the warning down the phone in the most blood-curdling voice imaginable. Naomi's tears were streaming down her cheeks as she promised desperately that she wouldn't involve the police and that she was going straight home to get the key. Suddenly the line went dead as the guy rang off, leaving a stunned Naomi feeling terribly alone with her misery and fear despite now being surrounded by about a dozen people, all trying to comfort the poor girl.

She collected her scrambled senses just long enough to realise that if she wanted to see Emily again she had no time to lose. The first step was to go back home and retrieve the key which mercifully, she thought, was still in its hiding place after the break-in. It was an indication of how just what a complete whirl her head was in that she failed to make any connection between the break-in at her house and what had just happened to Emily. A more fully compos mentis Naomi might have worked out that if the key had been found by the intruders then Emily would never have been snatched.

She broke through the crowd around her without a word of explanation or thanks for their concern and started running as fast as her legs would carry her for home. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone anywhere on foot at such breakneck speed but then she had never had the life of someone she totally adored solely in her hands before. Fortunately she was in pretty good shape with all her cycling so although she was out of breath by the time she reached the house, she wasn't feeling like she was about to die with the agony of unaccustomed violent exercise. At one point during her race back home her mobile rang but when she looked at it she saw that it was Freddie calling and she ignored it. There was only one call she was interested in taking and it was certainly not Freddie's.

She flew into the house and made immediately for the kitchen, where her mother was busy doing some washing-up and cleaning. Without a word of greeting she rushed across to one of the kitchen cupboards, opened it and took out the jar of marmite in which she had hidden the key. A minute later, still ignoring her mother's puzzled questions about why on earth had she buried a key in a jar of her favourite sandwich spread, she had extracted the sticky, gooey key from the depths of the jar, washed it frantically under the tap to get all the marmite off it and then taken off out of the house, leaving a bemused and open-mouthed Gina wondering what the hell could have prompted her daughter to have carried out such inexplicably bizarre behaviour.

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Freddie sighed in exasperation and switched his mobile off. Why the hell wasn't Naomi answering her phone, he asked himself, more than a touch irritated? The conversation he had just had with his sister had almost left him speechless with disbelief and he had wanted to speak to Naomi to get confirmation that it was all a sick joke or that his sister had got completely the wrong end of the stick about what she claimed she had just witnessed.

The likelihood of Emily having been forcibly adducted in broad daylight in the middle of a busy street by being snatched, bundled into a car and driven away seemed ludicrous in the extreme, to put it mildly. But Karen was adamant that was what she had just seen happen and he couldn't see for the life of him why she would make up something like that.

He pondered for a moment what to do and, as he usually did in so many situations where prompt, decisive action was called upon, took the easy option of turning to Cook for advice. His friend may have had a habit of impulsively rushing into things, all guns blazing, without first exploring all the options or examining all the evidence with careful consideration, but at least he always did something. You could never accuse Cook of inertia, indecision or procrastination.

'Cook? Have you got a moment? Something incredible has just happened, according to Karen. She says she's just seen Emily being abducted by some guys and driven away in a car.'

'What? Are you fucking joking?'

'I know it sounds ridiculous but Karen swears it's true. Naomi was with Emily when it happened. Karen said Naomi was in a dreadful state. She didn't even recognise Karen when she ran over to her after it happened. She was talking on the phone with someone after Emily was snatched and then she just took off without a word.'

'Have you tried to speak to Naomi?'

'Yeah, of course, but she didn't pick up my call. What the fuck should we do, Cook?'

There was silence at the other end for a few seconds which presumably meant that Cook was giving the matter an unusually large amount of thought for him before springing into action.

'You ring Naomi's Mum and find out if she's spoken to her or seen her since then. I'll contact Katie and find out if _she's_ heard from Naomi at all. Get hold of Karen and I'll meet you both outside the pub in ten minutes, okay? We'll talk more then. Don't say anything about Emily being abducted, Freds. It _might_ all be bullshit but if it _is_ true we don't want to be freaking anyone out just yet. Not until we know what the fuck's going on.'

As usual Cook was making decisions and taking charge, directing his troops and leading from the front. At times like these Freddie wished he possessed even a fraction of Cook's dynamism and decisiveness. But he knew he was by nature a ditherer and a procrastinator, happier at being led than leading others. He felt more comfortable being a faithful and trusted lieutenant than the person taking responsibility for the success or failure of a mission. That was his role in life, he acknowledged sadly to himself as he searched for Naomi's home number on his phone whilst making his way over to the agreed rendezvous at Cook's uncle's pub.

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Naomi was pedalling her bike furiously like there was no tomorrow which, as far as she was concerned, there wasn't if she didn't get Emily back in one piece. Nothing else mattered to her - certainly not the money about which she still hadn't come to any firm decision before Emily was abducted. Right now all that cash, so bizarrely presented to her gift-wrapped by her late father, seemed like the most unimportant thing in the world compared to Emily's safe return home.

Amidst all these very private, personal thoughts that a frightened, tear stricken and very confused Naomi quite understandably had flying around in her head, came suddenly to the forefront one realisation which immediately began to weigh very heavily upon her conscience. She hadn't thought for a second to get in touch with Katie to tell her the dreadful news of her twin sister's abduction.

Of course a part of her didn't want Katie to know what had happened. She just instinctively knew that after the inevitable, initial, panic-stricken shock reaction at hearing the news, Katie was bound to try to blame her in some way for what had happened. She could so easily picture the bitch from hell screaming abuse at her, saying that this would never have happened if her sister wasn't gay and had been going out with some big, strong, macho guy built like a brick shithouse instead of this useless blonde girl who was too weak and feeble to protect Emily and stop something like that from happening!

Naomi almost literally shuddered at the thought of what Emily's **mother** would come out with if she got to hear how Naomi had singularly failed to protect her younger daughter from a brutal abduction. Whatever it was it would make Katie's predictable, foul-mouthed, illogical, bile-filled tirade of blame and condemnation come across as a mere minor strop or pointless rant by comparison.

No, she would dearly love to avoid Katie or Emily's parents finding out what had happened, purely for her own selfish reasons of self-preservation and pride. But at the same time she recognised that it would be utterly cowardly, mean and heartless not to tell them all that Emily's life was now in danger. She would have never forgiven them if it had happened when _they_ were with Emily at the time and they hadn't contacted her to break the awful news to her. As painful and difficult as it was bound to be, she simply had to break the news to them and fast before, God forbid, they heard the news from somebody other than her. She would never be forgiven for letting that happen!

She turned into the main street which led down to the station and could see it in the distance when she slowed down and pulled in to the side of the road. She had to make the dreaded call now, she reasoned. She couldn't afford to put it off any longer because as soon as she had the holdall outside the station she would be waiting for a call from one of the kidnappers. She dialled Katie's number – better off speaking to her than Emily's mother, she thought, Katie being marginally the lesser of two evils – and waited with a rapidly increasing heart rate and unnaturally heavy breathing as she tried to compose herself and calm down in anticipation of the full scale storm that would soon be blowing.

'Naomi? What do you want?' asked a surprised Katie. It was a very rare event indeed for Naomi to be calling her without warning. She was immediately on her guard.

'Katie, I need you to listen to me very carefully. What I'm going to tell you is NOT a joke, okay? It's fucking deadly serious. Emily's just been abducted by a car full of men while we were out walking.'

'WHAT?!!!' Katie screamed down the phone. 'Please tell me you're fucking joking, you cow!'

'I'm not joking,' cried Naomi, bursting into tears all over again as the vivid memories of the devastating incident came flooding back to her. 'But I'm dealing with it, okay. They've told me what I have to do to get her back and I'm doing it right now, alright? I promise you I'll get her back safe and sound in no time.'

Naomi could hear the sound of Katie crying hysterically on the other end of the phone and waited with a sick feeling in her stomach for the inevitable volcanic explosion to erupt.

'Why? Why would anyone want to take her?' the older twin sobbed in disbelief. Naomi couldn't face telling her the long story of her Dad and the money right then , particularly when she had Emily's safe return entrusted in her hands She had to calm Katie down and then stall her as best she could for a while longer..

'Listen to me, Katie, please! You **mustn'**t tell the police. Not one word, right. The men who took Emily made that absolutely clear, okay? We tell the police and we won't see Ems again.'

'But…….how do we……..what have they...'Katie was clearly struggling to keep a tight grip on the reality of the situation, this patently absurd reality that had seen her much adored but ordinary, unremarkable twin sister become the most unlikely target for a bunch of kidnappers in the middle of Bristol. You couldn't write a more ridiculous script to have to convince someone of the truth of the story, it occurred to Naomi incongruously in the middle of all these tears and total bewilderment.

'Look, I can't go into any more detail. I'm on my way to meeting up with the guys who took her to give them what they want. When I've given them that they'll release Ems and she'll be back with us again, safe and sound. I promise you, Katie! You know I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her!' As soon as she said those last words Naomi knew with a sinking feeling what would be thrown right back in her face

'It already has!! How come you weren't with her when it happened? And what do you mean, when you've given them what they want? What could **you** have that they want?'

It was time for Naomi to cut short this excruciatingly painful and increasingly dishonest conversation. She couldn't waste any more time. She had to get to the station and retrieve the bag of money and await her instructions. She knew it would seem dreadfully callous and brutal for her to ring off but she had no option. It was in all their best interests.

'Katie! I've got to go now. Please don't tell the police, I beg you. And don't tell your Mum and Dad, not just yet. I should have Emily back really soon. I promise to call you again the minute I've got her back, honest.'

With that Naomi abruptly cut Katie off, put her mobile back in her pocket, remounted her bike and pedalled the remaining hundred yards or so down the slight incline to the station. But as soon as she got near enough to see the front of it clearly she was met by a sight that made her blood run cold and her heart stop beating momentarily. For while she would have expected to see a reasonable number of people milling around outside the station at this time of day, people entering or leaving the building, queuing up for taxis, hanging around saying hello or goodbye to friends or family, she certainly wasn't remotely prepared for the dramatic scene which instantly met her eyes.

The whole of the forecourt in front of the station had been cordoned off and hundreds of people were milling around on the other side of the rope, ordinary members of the public, presumably the vast majority being would-be passengers, railway staff and officials, security men and above all, most conspicuously of all from Naomi's point of view in her current unenviable situation, dozens of police officers and police cars.

The uniformed police officers were clearly in charge of keeping the public and the railway staff back from the entrance to the station. Naomi could hear megaphones being used to communicate to the people who were lined up all around the station forecourt, but a suitable distance away from the entrance, sufficiently far enough away to satisfy the police so it appeared.

There was an unmistakeable yet indistinct crescendo of noise, the muffled and garbled murmurings of a large crowd of people talking and shouting to each other as everyone's attention was fixed on the station entrance. It was almost as if they were awaiting the arrival of some long lost, much adored celebrity who they knew would be walking out of the station building to tumultuous applause and wild cheering at any second.

Now this was a very striking and dramatic scene and ordinarily enough, on an average day, Naomi might be vaguely curious to find out what all this was about. But on this precise afternoon, at this very moment, all Naomi could think of, with abject horror and consternation, was how the fuck was she going to get the holdall out of the locker to give to the kidnappers. After all, the station had, to all intents and purposes, been sealed off for god knows how long, for fuck knows what reason, by the Bristol Constabulary.

As she stood next to her bike, a good thirty yards or so away from all the commotion, surveying the chaotic scene unfolding in front of her eyes, wondering what the hell to do next, the tears started to stream down her face again as she was unable to hold back huge sobs of despair at the realisation that she would be unable to keep her end of the deal. She could see her chances of ever seeing Emily again alive and well receding by the minute as fate appeared to have cruelly conspired against her at the very moment when she desperately needed it to be looking down on her kindly and taking pity on her in her hour of need.

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	27. Chapter 28

Naomi stood silently and helplessly watching the police keep the crowds well back from the station. She decided she had to find out why the station had been closed off to the public and how long it was likely to last.. She didn't dare approach one of the policemen and ask him just in case the kidnappers were watching her to see if she made any contact with the police. After a few words with a couple of people standing around near her she had managed to get the gist of what was going on.

It seemed that an anonymous call had been made to the railway station manager that there was a bomb hidden somewhere in the station, whereupon the whole building was evacuated and the police had been immediately notified. This had all happened about twenty minutes ago and since then the police had been swarming all over the place, complete with a full complement of bomb disposal experts and anti-terrorist squads. No-one had a clue how long the station would be closed down but it was fair to assume it wouldn't be until either the police had satisfied themselves that the call had been a hoax or that the bomb had been located and disarmed by the experts.

None of this of course was making Naomi feel any better about her chances of getting Emily back. She was terrified that the kidnappers would think she had been in some way responsible for getting the station sealed off and so making it impossible for her to get to the money. Her nerves were practically in tatters and so when her mobile suddenly went off with its customary loud ring tone she nearly jumped out of her skin. She frantically picked up the call, knowing it had to be Emily's abductors since the caller had withheld their number.

'Hello!' she cried in a desperate shriek, her heart pounding so hard she could hardly hear the guy on the other end of the line speak.

'Have you got the bag yet?' the now familiar, chilling, anonymous voice asked tersely..

'I can't get to it! The station's been closed down. There's been a bomb scare. The police are here searching the station right now. Nobody is allowed in. Please, I'm telling you the truth, I'm not making it up!' Her voice broke out into a strangled sob as she struggled valiantly to keep her nerve and composure but she knew she was fighting a losing battle.

There was a long pause, too long for Naomi's liking, and she had just begun to beg him to believe her again when he interrupted her short lived, desperate pleas.

'Okay, I believe you. Just wait there until the station opens again, do you hear me? Do NOT try any funny business, understand? We've still got your friend so if you want to see her alive again do exactly as I say. Do you understand?'

Naomi let out a sigh of relief and quickly agreed to follow his instructions to the letter. But she was desperate to find out of Emily was alright and so, even though she was terrified of daring to challenge the abductor in any way, she had to ask him nonetheless.

'Please! Don't hang up yet!'

'What is it?' said the cold, clinical, expressionless voice.

'Please can I just talk to Emily for a few seconds? I have to know she's alright, that she's still alive?'

Naomi nearly broke down in floods of tears as she heard herself say those awful words 'still alive' in reference to Emily. She held her breath as she waited for the kidnapper's response, terrified that he would just ring off or would refuse her plea. After a few moments' deafening silence during which Naomi had her eyes tightly shut as she strained to make out the indistinct sounds in the background at the other end of the line, a reassuringly familiar voice suddenly came on the phone, albeit only briefly but still long enough to cause Naomi to break out in tears again. Only on this occasion they were tears of indescribable relief and joy as she heard Emily's obviously scared, soft and trembling voice tell her what she needed to hear.

'Naomi? Naomi! I'm okay, honest. Just do what they say and……' but before she could go on any further her voice abruptly disappeared and the abductor was back on the line once more. Clearly he wasn't in the sort of charitable mood to let them have a nice long chat about what an extraordinary day it was turning out to be.

'Satisfied? Now do what you're told and then you'll get to finish your conversation later, understood?'

He rang off sharply, leaving a still hugely distraught but nevertheless considerably relieved Naomi to calm down, try to regain her composure and thought processes and, above all, cling on for dear life to the reassuring and comforting knowledge that at least Emily was still very much alive.

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Cook was pacing up and down outside the pub, puffing furiously on a cigarette and looking up from time to time in the general direction of where Freddie and Karen were bound to be coming from. Despite the fact that if this scarcely believable story of Karen's was true, it meant that Emily was in serious danger, Cook's juices were flowing. His insane love of danger and excitement, his thirst for action and risk-taking were so heightened that part of him was actually hoping it wasn't a load of bollocks.

He had been bored beyond belief since getting kicked out of college and standing in for his uncle by running his pub. He had been missing the constant company of the gang, the daily piss taking, the bust-ups and the banter, even the routine cut and thrust of college life. He hadn't imagined he would give a toss whether he was in college or not but he was surprised to find out how much he was missing it. Not the classes obviously, certainly not the endless, pointless studying of William fucking Shakespeare and all those other wankers who talked in a completely foreign language to the one he recognised.

He had felt his life was lacking something in the last few weeks and he reckoned it was that sense of danger, that ever present need to sail close to the wind with teachers, college directors, fellow students, indeed at times, one felt, with the whole world. He felt emasculated and impotent without some challenge to take up, some opponent, real or imaginary, to take on. This situation with Emily, if it was true, could be just the thing to get him going again. He could assume control of his troops, rally them around his fearless leadership and prepare for battle against seemingly impossible odds. No matter, he would be ready and willing to take on all-comers. Cook wasn't afraid of anyone!

He was wrenched out of his fanciful reveries of glory and honour by a shout from Freddie which made him look up. His mate was fast approaching the pub with elder sister Karen in tow.

'So, what's the score, Freds? Are we talking full scale crisis of epic proportions or has Karen got it arse about tit?' As usual Cook was only interested in cutting straight to the chase.

'Are you calling me a liar, fuckwit?' Karen looked daggers at Cook who had never wasted time mincing his words where Freddie's sister was concerned. There was history between him and Karen and old wounds still rankled, especially on her side. 'I know what I fucking saw!'

'Shut it, the pair of you!' said Freddie, as ever struggling to keep the peace between these two emotional hotheads. 'I spoke to Naomi's Mum. She came out with some weird story about Naomi coming home in a rush, grabbing a jar of Marmite, fishing out some key, washing it and then flying straight out of the house without saying a single word.'

Cook looked at the two of them thoughtfully. 'That _is _fucking weird, guys. What's all that about?'

'Search me,' replied Freddie with a shrug of his shoulders. 'But her Mum did also say that they'd been burgled the other night.'

'Ah, now this looks more interesting,' said Cook, optimistically. 'What was taken?'

'That's just it. Nothing, according to Naomi's Mum.'

'Nothing? Is she sure?' Cook stared at Freddie hard as he tried to make sense of the bizarre story Freddie was giving him.

'That's what she said. Nothing seemed to have been nicked.'

Cook started nodding pensively as if he had cracked it all of a sudden and was now gradually piecing all the bits together. 'Okay, so nothing was missing. That means whoever broke in to Naomi's couldn't find what they were looking for.'

'What were they looking for?' Karen looked as puzzled as her brother as they stared at Cook. Neither of them had a clue what all this amounted to except an odd set of seemingly unrelated and inexplicable facts which didn't appear to have anything to do with Emily's disappearance.

'Well, I'd make an educated guess, boys and girls, that the burglars were looking for the key that Naomi came back for in a hurry. Whatever's going on, I'd say Naomi and that key are at the bottom of it.'

'Did you speak to Katie?' asked Freddie, remembering Cook had said he would contact Emily's twin.

'No answer. But if Emily has been snatched by some bad guys, she's probably going frantic right now and won't take any calls from me.'

'So, Batman, what do you suggest we do?' Karen turned a withering look on Cook who lit another cigarette while he quietly considered their next course of action.

'I reckon our first priority is to find Naomi. If Emily's been snatched it has to be because these guys, whoever the fuck they are, want to use her to get Naomi to do something for them. But until we find or talk to Naomi, we're not going to know what.'

'How the fuck are we going to find her, Cook?' Freddie didn't want to put a spanner in the works or throw cold water on to Cook's logically thought out plan but one fact seemed blindingly obvious to him. 'Bristol's a fucking big city. She could be anywhere! Where do we start?'

'We start by you two trying to reach her on her mobile again. Keep trying every minute or so. Maybe she'll get so fed up ignoring your calls that she'll pick up the phone eventually even if it's to tell you to piss off. If she does, you've got to get her to talk to you and tell you where she is and what she's doing. I'll try Katie again.'

* * *

Katie hadn't intended to ignore Naomi's desperate sounding plea not to tell her parents what had happened to Emily. She could understand the argument about not involving the police if they wanted to see Emily alive and well again. She may not have been the brightest of girls but she had seen enough cop programmes in her time to know that kidnappers always threaten to hurt their victim if the police are involved.

She had tried to call Naomi back countless times already since Emily's girlfriend had hung up on her but she wasn't taking her repeated calls. She hadn't been able to stop herself collapsing into a loud fit of tears which inevitably her Mum and Dad had overheard and ran into her bedroom to see what the matter was. Then, naturally enough, the whole story had come out about Emily's abduction and Naomi's phone call as she sobbed in her Mum's arms and her parents listened with ever increasing incredulity and horror as each detail of the story came out.

'I'm phoning the police,' cried a stunned and white-faced Rob Fitch and he got up off Katie's bed to make for the phone.

'No!!' screamed Katie and turned to her Mum for support and understanding. 'You can't! Naomi begged me not to call them. She said she wouldn't see Emily alive again if Naomi contacted them!'

Jenna burst into floods of tears at the thought of the unspeakable terror she imagined her little girl must be going through and she held on to her other daughter so tightly she almost crushed all the breath out of her. 'Rob!!' she screamed at her husband. 'What are we going to do?!'

'I'm going out to look for her. And when I find her, if I get my hands on those bastards who've taken my little girl I'm going to kill them all with my bare hands!!' he roared, his face white with seething rage, the veins on his neck bulging out like they were going to burst.

'Rob! That's not going to get her back! You're not some bloody Action Man hero! We don't know where she is! Where would you look? She could be anywhere.'

Jenna released her crushing hold on Katie and said to her through the tears, 'What's Naomi got to do with all this? What's she done that's dragged Emily into this?'

'I don't know, Mum. She said that if she did what the kidnappers told her and gave them what they wanted then they would let Emily go free.'

Katie looked up at her Mum with a painfully blank expression which told of the deepest misery and total incomprehension at what had happened to her sister. The whole thing seemed completely unreal to her. This sort of stuff only happened in books or in films, not in real life, and never to ordinary people like them. Surely it was all a bad dream and she would wake up any minute in a cold sweat, wondering where the fuck that particular nightmare had come from.

'Call her again, Katie. Keep calling her until she picks up the phone. What about all your other friends? Maybe they've heard from her. Maybe they know what's going on.' Rob was pacing up and down the room, trying to keep a lid on his emotions for the sake of his wife and daughter but he was having trouble containing his own rage and above all his fear at what could happen to his little Emily.

With somewhat delayed reaction, probably caused by the tremendous shock she was still suffering from, Jenna had slowly picked up on what Katie had said about Naomi giving the kidnappers what they wanted.

'So Naomi** is** the reason why Emily's been taken?' she cried accusingly in the most bitter and contemptuous of tones as Katie was trying to get in touch with Naomi once more on her mobile. 'I knew that girl would be bad for Emily. I told you she would bring nothing but misery and unhappiness to her. Now look what she's done! She's put Emily's life in danger!'

Jenna burst into tears again and Rob rushed over to her and Katie, realising that he had a duty as husband and father to calm them down, to reassure them both that everything was going to be okay, even if it seemed as clear as crystal that it might not be. He had to be the strong one here; he had to curb his understandable rage, which was at boiling point, and his fears which were threatening to drown him in a sea of pain and anguish.

* * *

Naomi's phone rang for the umpteenth time in the last five minutes. This time it was Freddie calling. The previous few occasions it had been Katie, Karen or her mother, none of whose calls she had answered. But this time she wavered, her finger hovering over the accept call button. She knew that she alone had the means to get Emily back. Provided she did exactly what she was told – get hold of the money from the locker and hand it over to the men who took Emily away from her – she was optimistic that they would keep their word and release Emily. She didn't need anyone else's help.

But the self-imposed lonely isolation she had been reeling under since Emily was snatched, the unbearably heavy burden of responsibility she had been saddled with to ensure Emily's safe return to her family and friends, never mind her, were proving to be far more draining and crushing than she had imagined. She longed for some moral support, some words of comfort and reassurance that she was doing fine, that she was bearing up incredibly well in the circumstances and that everything was going to be okay in the end.

The girl who for so many years growing up in a one parent family had learned to rely on no-one but herself to get her through all of life's difficult trials and tribulations was now longing for someone to be there for her at her side, holding her hand and giving her the strength to carry on. That person was supposed to be Emily, of course, and had been for some time now. Who the fuck was there to be her rock now with Emily not around?

Against all her instincts and especially her better judgement she took what she prayed would not be a rash decision that she would regret for the rest of her life and picked up the call. Freddie's relieved voice came over loud and clear if more than a little anxious and irritated.

'Jesus Christ! At last! Why didn't you take my earlier calls, Naomi? I've been trying to reach you for ages!'

'I'm really busy right now, Freddie. Can't it wait till later?'

'No!! Don't hang up!' Freddie looked at Cook and mouthed the question _'Do I tell her we know about Emily?' _Cook nodded but added '_Find out where she is'_

'Naomi, you've got to listen to me, okay. Look, we know what's happened to Emily.'

'What!? How?' shouted a stunned Naomi down the phone, so loudly that Freddie was forced to hold his mobile a few inches away from his ear so he wasn't deafened by the next scream Naomi might come out with.

'Karen saw it happen. She was waiting for a bus on the other side of the road when Emily was kidnapped. She saw everything, Naomi. We know Emily's in danger and we want to be there for you, we want to help you.' Freddie was looking across at Cook as he was saying all this, searching for signs of Cook's approval which Cook returned with encouraging nods of his head. _'Where is she?'_ Cook whispered to his mate.

'Naomi, where you are right now?' This was the crunch question. Would she tell Freddie or would she shut up shop, preferring to go her own way without their help?

Naomi hesitated for a fraction of a second but the wave of loneliness she was reeling under smothered her at that very moment and she weakened under the strain, blurting out before she could stop herself, 'I'm outside the railway station.'

'The railway station? Why? Are you catching a train?' Freddie looked bemused and puzzled at Cook and Karen who came over to Freddie to listen in on the conversation.

'No. I've…….I've got to wait here for a while.'

'Naomi, don't worry, babe. We're coming over right now. Just stay put and we'll find you. Everything's going to be okay, you'll see.' Cook had been unable to keep out of the conversation for very long and had snatched the mobile out of Freddie's hand to deliver personally his inspiring message of support. He badly needed to stick his considerable oar in and give Naomi the reassurance that he believed _only he_ could give the poor girl that help was on its way. Soon all her troubles and cares would be gone. The Lone Ranger was riding to her rescue with his faithful sidekick Tonto at his side.

If Cook's words were supposed to calm Naomi down, give her renewed cause for optimism and provoke prolonged and heartfelt expressions of gratitude, then sadly for him they fell somewhat wide of the mark. Had anyone ever made such a catastrophic error of judgement? Naomi's reaction could generously be described as one of hysterical, panic-stricken, fear and anguish, borne out of the certain knowledge that Cook was the last person she wanted to bring on board in any dangerous business with ruthless kidnappers when Emily's life was at stake.

She screamed 'No!' down the phone at Cook but she had been cut off in her prime by her saviour in waiting who had rung off, judging that the rescue party didn't have a moment to lose. Cook immediately made a further quick call to Effy, telling her that Emily and Naomi were in trouble, and that she had to borrow her Mum's car right away and meet them at the pub. He issued the instructions without once looking at Freddie who, if he was even slightly miffed at Cook ordering his girlfriend around like that, didn't bother to show it.

'So, what are we going to do, Cook? Have you thought this through at all? What if Naomi doesn't want our help? What if she can handle things just fine without us?'

Freddie shook his head in amazement at his mate who, true to form, was showing he was not a guy to shirk a challenge, to step back and think about all the possible consequences of steaming in where fools feared to tread. The idea that Naomi could sort this little local difficulty out without his particular brand of heroic assistance wouldn't have occurred to him.

'Freds, I'm not going to stand by and let some bastards push our women around like that. Cookie does not take kindly to that at all. He wants retribution and he will not let anyone get in his way. The gloves are off, my son, and the fight starts now.'

* * *

.

.


	28. Chapter 29

'HOW MUCH?!!' Cook stared at Naomi in utter disbelief and all the others' mouths gaped open as wide as the Grand Canyon. They all looked first at Naomi and then at each other, gobsmacked.

'Well, I don't know! I didn't sit there and count it all! It must have been ten of thousands, I guess. What does it matter now they've got Ems? I don't care if it was millions, I just want Ems back. I don't give a flying fuck about the money!'

Naomi burst into tears once again as the thought of what unspeakable things the kidnappers might be doing to Emily right then flashed through her mind and caused her stomach to heave violently and almost made her throw up on the spot. She had never been someone who was particularly bothered about money and she cared even less about it at that moment. No amount of readies, bona fide or otherwise, was worth a fraction of Emily in her eyes. There were some things you couldn't put a price on and, to her, Emily's safe return was the most important thing in the world.

She had filled the rest of the gang in on the story of the money in the station locker and Emily's subsequent abduction as quickly as possible. It had given her something to do, she supposed, even though her first reaction had been not to tell them anything about the money at all. But Cook had been especially insistent that she tell them what the hell was going on and so, reluctantly, she gave in and spilled the beans.

It wasn't that she wanted to keep her friends in the dark about Emily's abduction – she could see they were genuinely concerned and distraught. It was more a case of her being terrified that, out of a perfectly understandable desire to help her in whatever way they could, they might make things worse and put Emily's life at greater risk. She was particularly worried about what Cook might do and she had already begged him not to interfere and to just let her do whatever the kidnappers wanted her to do.

Karen and Effy were on either side of the blonde, each with an arm around her shoulders and were trying to comfort her and keep her spirits up as best they could but they could see she was close to breaking down completely. Cook, on the other hand, whilst not insensitive to Naomi's obvious distress, was talking to Freddie about the details of Naomi's account of the extraordinary events of that day.

'What doesn't make sense, Freds, is how come they believed Naomi's explanation about why she couldn't get to the locker and retrieve the holdall. I mean, how come they knew she wasn't bluffing and just trying to buy some more time? That's what I would have thought, if I'd been in their place.'

'Maybe they heard about the bomb scare on the radio. I mean, the news must be all over the local radio stations by now.' Freddie's suggestion, although not without some merit and logic, met with complete disdain from Cook.

'What? You think that the kidnappers are likely to be passing the time waiting for Naomi to pick up the money by listening to the radio? Why not watch a bit of daytime TV while they're at it?'

'Well, how the fuck should I know what kidnappers do? I've never met any personally, you know. I don't know what a normal day in the life of your average kidnapper's like, do I?'

'No. I know why they accepted her story about the bomb scare so easily.'

Freddie looked at his mate quizzically and challenged him with a slight nod of his head to show off his clearly extensive knowledge of the habits and behavioural patterns of Bristol's criminal fraternity. 'Well?'

'Because they already knew it was true. Don't you get it, Freddie? They're here, somewhere, those fucking bastards. Or at least one or two of them are. They've been watching Naomi all the time, following her around without her knowing it, checking that she's doing exactly what they've told her to do.'

Cook was casually but keenly darting his eyes all around him, without making any extravagant movement of his head, closely eyeing up all the people who were still hanging around a safe distance away from the station, waiting for the all-clear to be given by the police so they could resume their journeys. Freddie found himself doing likewise, whilst nonchalantly reaching for a cigarette from his jacket pocket, lighting it and after puffing on it once or twice, passing it over to Cook.

'I can't see anyone particularly suspicious,' Freddie said after a few moments, having cast his eyes as far as he could without making it too obvious he was looking for someone.

'Well, I can,' said Cook, puffing on the cigarette before passing it over to Freddie. 'About three o'clock. DON'T look over there, Freds. There's a car pulled over on the side of the road. It's been there ever since we turned up, I reckon. I think there are two guys sitting in the front.'

'You can't know it's them, Cook. You're only guessing.' Freddie wasn't sure whether Cook had genuinely spotted the kidnappers or whether his friend was letting his fertile, melodramatic imagination run away with him.

'I know it's them, Freds. I just know it. They're parked just far enough away not to be too obvious and yet near enough to be able to keep tabs on Naomi all the time.'

'So what if it is them? What can we do? Emily's life's at stake here, Cook! We can't fuck about with that, you know!'

Freddie was really scared, probably for the first time in his life. He'd been dragged against his will into a fair few scrapes by Cook over the years and had managed to keep his mate out of any serious trouble, sometimes more by luck than judgement. But this was different. It was one thing rescuing Cook from danger to himself, whether it was hauling him away from a booze-fuelled punch up in some night club or from some irate drug dealers with whom he'd had a stupid argument about the price of the gear he'd been trying to buy. It was a completely different ball game when the life of one of their closest friends was at stake. This was no time for stupid, boys own heroics, he thought. Surely Cook wouldn't be so selfish as to risk Emily's life for the sake of some personal glory and adventure. Even_ he_ couldn't be such a fucking twat!

* * *

Emily reached out a hand towards the glass of water which had been placed just within her reach, picked it up and drank from it. It was the first thing she had eaten or drunk since she had been abducted and brought to this god-awful place and left there. She hadn't touched the food on the plate which was lying next to the glass: a sandwich of some sort, it looked like ham but she hadn't bothered to check it out, and a bag of ready salted crisps. Hardly a banquet but at least they had left her something.

But she had completely lost any appetite she might normally have had at that time of the day. The overwhelming fear that had paralysed her mind and her senses had well and truly seen to that. But she was thirsty, despite her terror and misery so she forced herself to pick up the glass and drink some water. It was by no means an easy feat given that one of her hands was handcuffed to a rickety old bed in the corner of the darkened room where she had been dumped. But with a little bit of concentration and taking her time she managed to grab the glass without spilling too much of the liquid and brought it to her lips and guzzled greedily.

She must have been imprisoned in this godforsaken hole for a good hour or two now but as there wasn't enough light for her to see the hands on her watch she was only guessing. She wondered what Naomi was doing and the thought of her girlfriend probably going absolutely frantic with worry brought tears to her eyes and she battled with herself not to burst out crying once again. She'd cried quite enough as it was when she had first been grabbed off the street and thrown into the car and she was desperately trying to gain some measure of self-control and composure. But it was really tough for her because she was so desperate to see her girlfriend again. She'd only been taken from her for a few hours but already it felt like it had been a lifetime.

Things will be okay, she said to herself, trying to clam herself down. Naomi will do everything the kidnappers tell her to and then she'll be free and back with Naomi again before the end of the evening. She had already worked out what her abductors wanted. It wasn't rocket science after all, she said to herself. This is all about Naomi's money, or rather the money left to her by her Dad. That's why the bastards had kidnapped her, to get to Naomi. They must have known that Naomi would willingly give up all that cash just to get her back.

And yet a strange part of her didn't want Naomi to cooperate meekly with these men and just hand over the money they obviously wanted so badly. She hated the thought of her girlfriend, who took such pride in bowing to no-one's will, in refusing to be bullied into doing something against all her principles, having to swallow her pride and surrender something that belonged to her just because she was being threatened by somebody bigger and stronger than her. Deep down Emily really wanted Naomi to fight back and refuse to give in to the kidnappers' demands and threats. That was the Naomi she knew, admired and loved so much.

The trouble was, if Naomi did refuse to bow to their demands, she would probably never see her again. Emily thought it highly unlikely that these guys, whoever they were, would only be bluffing. She totally believed them when they told her that she would see Naomi again – provided her girlfriend co-operated fully and did what she was told. It would be a token, futile gesture if Naomi was to put up some kind of resistance against them and try to play for time, give herself a chance to work out a way of getting Emily back without relinquishing the money. Unfortunately these men had all the cards in their hands and they weren't playing for matchsticks. The stakes were high, judging by Emily's rapid assessment of the amount of cash she had seen in the holdall, and they were deadly serious in their intent to recover the money which, she speculated idly for a few brief seconds, they must regard as morally theirs.

She drained a few more gulps of the refreshing water and put the glass back down on the little table next to the bed. Her throat, which had become quite sore and dry from the tape one of the guys had stuck across her mouth, now felt much better from taking in some much needed liquid. They had taken off the tape when they had brought the food in, after telling her there was no point in her screaming for help as there was no-one around for miles to hear her and, in any case, they would simply put the tape back on and take away the food and water.

So she hadn't screamed for help, preferring to conserve her energy for thinking and for keeping as calm as she could. Besides, she hadn't heard a sound from outside the room since she arrived so she guessed she was holed up in some remote place in the middle of nowhere, certainly not within screaming earshot of any casual passer-by. She lay back on the bed again, closed her eyes and tried to boost her flagging spirits by thinking of all the wonderful, fabulous things she and Naomi were going to do together as soon as they were reunited.

* * *

'Rob!' cried Jenna tearfully, 'For God's sake, stop pacing up and down! That isn't going to achieve anything!'

'Well, what do you want me to do? I can't just sit here quietly waiting to be told if my daughter's alive and well!'

'She's my daughter too, you know!' Jenna collapsed into a fresh bout of hysterical sobbing which immediately caused Rob to rush over to her and hold her in his arms, realising his reaction hadn't helped the situation and regretting having said it.

'Mum! Dad! Don't!' pleaded a tearful and shattered-looking Katie as she helplessly watched them bickering. She needed her Mum and Dad to be strong and united right at that moment, not at each other's throats, tearing each other apart. The sudden abduction of her sister was already tearing her apart emotionally inside; she didn't need to be worrying about the danger of her parents ripping each other apart too. She couldn't cope with that.

'Katie, please try phoning Naomi again!' cried her mother. 'Why won't she pick up the phone?'

'I've tried a dozen times already in the last half hour. She won't pick up the call.' Katie could guess the reason why but didn't dare say it out loud in front of her parents. Setting off another huge rant from her mother about Emily being together with Naomi was not what was needed right then. Cool heads and strong nerves were what were required and Katie was afraid they might all be found seriously wanting in that department, judging by the reactions of the last half hour.

'Try again, Katie,' asked Rob, looking up from Jenna and beseeching his other daughter with a pained, distraught expression, indicating to Katie the state of her mother who was in full flow again, sobbing her heart out on Rob's shoulder.

'Okay,' nodded Katie, not with a great deal of optimism as she hit the redial button one more time and waited for the familiar tone to ring out without the sound of Naomi's voice interrupting it to pick up the call.

She was just about to give up yet again and ring off when to her considerable shock and joyous surprise she heard the sound of the call being taken and a voice on the other end call out 'Katie?' Katie let out a small scream of relief and practically shouted down the phone 'Naomi?'

* * *

The sound of Naomi's phone ringing broke through the uneasy silence into which the gang had fallen over the past few minutes. Naomi instantly grabbed for her mobile to see who was calling and her face fell into an expression of despair as she saw that it was Katie ringing yet again. She looked at the others who had all gathered round her, assuming it was the kidnappers calling and said to them in a painful whisper 'It's Katie. She's been trying for ages. I can't face talking to her.'

Effy looked at Naomi's haunted, screwed up face and reached out for the phone, gently taking it from Naomi's hand. 'Let me talk to her, Naomi. You can't keep her in the dark forever. She's Emily's twin. She must be worried sick about her, the whole family must be. She has a right to know what's happening.'

Naomi's resistance was only a token one as in her heart of hearts she accepted the truth of Effy's argument. She knew it wasn't right to try to keep Katie and her family out of it but she was terrified on two separate counts. Firstly of having to face up to the Fitch family reaction to her getting Emily involved with this horrific business and secondly of what they might try to do to get involved which might jeopardise Emily's safe return. If Emily was to be brought back home alive, Naomi knew she alone had the power, the means and the opportunity to achieve that objective. Involving anyone else, particularly a sister, mother or father frantic and beside themselves with worry, however understandable, might be too risky an idea.

Effy took the call, as she patted Naomi comfortingly on the shoulder. 'Katie?'

'Naomi?' screamed Emily's twin down the phone. 'What's happening? Is Emily with you?'

'Katie, it's Effy…..' but before Effy could continue, she was interrupted by the angry, shaking voice of Katie giving it large with both barrels on the other end of the line.

'Effy?! What the fuck are you doing on the line! Put Naomi on. I want to speak to her, not you!'

The whole group winced to a man and woman at the sound of Katie's furious outburst which came over loud and clear and which made Naomi turn her head away and look like she was going to be sick on the spot.

'Katie, listen to me. Naomi can't speak to you right now. She's busy concentrating on doing what the kidnappers have told her to do to get Emily back alive and well. She can't be thinking about anything else or speaking on the phone to anyone. She's waiting for a call from these men. You might be keeping them from getting through to her and giving her more instructions, for fuck's sake!'

Cook nodded admiringly at Effy's quick, sharp presence of mind and gave her the thumbs-up in encouragement. Naomi looked up at Effy anxiously, unsure if Effy's words would placate Katie and persuade her to get off the line and leave her alone in peace to worry herself sick about Emily on behalf of the whole Fitch family. It appeared it might have done the trick, however, as the next time Katie spoke she sounded much calmer, less hysterical and more sympathetic to Effy's approach.

'Okay, but we're all worried sick here! How come you're with her? Who else is there? I should be there with Naomi, not you. Emily's is MY sister, not yours.'

'I know you're all worried sick, Katie. I'm just here to give Naomi some moral support and comfort her. She's beside herself with worry as well, you know. Emily's her girlfriend, remember.'

'Yeah and it was Naomi who got Ems involved in this, wasn't it? If Ems hadn't been involved with Naomi, none of this would have happened!'

After sounding like she had calmed down a bit, Katie appeared on the verge of going off on one again. Effy had to get her off the line quickly especially as there seemed to be some action taking place over at the station entrance. Barriers were being taken down, cheers from the still gathering crowds could be heard and the police were beginning to talk to the people through megaphones. Things were starting to move.

'What's that cheering noise?' Katie's sharp ears had obviously picked up the background noise at the other end of the line and sensed that something was happening where they were. 'Where the hell are you?'

'We're down at the railway station, Katie.' Effy said, shrugging her shoulders at the rest of the group. She didn't see what could be gained from lying to Katie. What could she do any more than the rest of them about the situation? It was all ultimately in Naomi's hands, not theirs.

'The railway station? What the fuck are you doing there? Oh Christ, DAD! Dad, there's no point going down there! DAD!!!'

The group all looked at each other aghast at Katie's clearly futile and desperate pleas to her father not to take off immediately for the railway station. Clearly it was too late. The ultimate Action Man Super Hero had already changed into his Superman costume in the blink of an eye and was soaring to the rescue of his little girl as Katie spoke.

'Did you hear that?' asked Katie. 'Dad's on his way over to join you. You'd better be there when he gets there, that's all I can say.' Effy said 'Okay' and rang off sharply.

'SHIT!' exclaimed Naomi, angrily and with the unmistakeable hint of fear and apprehension in her voice. But she didn't have time to expand on this oath any further as her mobile rang again and when she looked at it she glanced up at the others and nodded, swallowing hard and licking her lips nervously. She took the call with a racing heartbeat and a stomach that was lurching violently. 'Hello?'

The by now chillingly familiar voice came across loud and clear. 'Who were you talking to?'

'Just my Mum, she called me. It took ages to get her off the line. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry'

'Is the station open again yet?'

Naomi turned round and could see from where they were all standing that the preparations to re-open the entrances to the building were almost complete. The crowds were beginning to slowly move towards the forecourt, as the police were busy removing the barriers and other obstacles which they had originally put in position to keep the people well back from the immediate potential danger area. In a minute or two she reckoned she would be able to enter the station and retrieve the bag from the locker.

'Yes, they're just about to open it again. I should be able to go inside in a minute or two,' she said, breathing heavily, hoping that the man would believe her.

'Right. When it's open, go and get the holdall from the locker, come back outside and wait until I phone you again. No funny business, right or your friend will get hurt. Do you understand? You'd better be alone, missy. If anyone tries to go with you, your precious Emily will get seriously hurt. Do I make myself clear?'

'YES!' screamed Naomi. 'I'm going in alone and I'll be alone when I come out, I promise!' She waved frantically, and with more tears running down her cheeks, to the others to get the hell away from her. On seeing her distress and hearing her last few words the others all started moving away as Naomi leant her bike up against a wall and started to walk down towards the station forecourt, joining the impatient throng of travellers, all eager to resume their journeys.

As Naomi walked away from them, Cook turned to Effy and said 'Effy. Do us a favour, will you? Give me your car keys for a while.'

'What? Why? What are you going to do, Cook?' Effy looked at him suspiciously, refusing to hand them over until she was sure he wasn't going to attempt something which would screw things up. 'I'm not giving them to you if you've got some mad idea about following Naomi to the kidnappers. No fucking way!'

'I promise you I'm not going to follow Naomi. I wouldn't be that stupid. I'm not going to put Emily's life at risk, I promise you. I've just had an idea and I want to try it out. Please, give me the keys Ef.'

Still with considerable reluctance and suspicion Effy put her hand into her jacket pocket and pulled out her car keys, holding them out to Cook. 'If you're lying to me, Cook, if _anything_ happens to Emily or Naomi because of what you do, I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life. That's if I let you live, of course.'

'Trust me, babe. I know what I'm doing. Come on Freds.' He pulled the arm of his best mate and quickly started dragging him away in the direction of Effy's car which was parked just thirty or so yards away.

'Whoa! No fucking way, Cook!' shouted Freddie, pushing Cook off him. 'I'm not going along with your mad ideas. Leave me out of it. Effy's right. I'll never forgive you if anything happens to the girls because of your ridiculous dreams of being a fucking hero.'

'Keep walking, Freddie, and just listen. I need you with me on this. I need your brains and your cool head. Your brains and my brawn – well, we make a pretty good team, don't you think? Besides, if you don't come with me, you'll be tearing yourself apart wondering what the fuck I'm up to, won't you?'

Freddie stopped dead and stared at his mate. He hated to admit it but Cook was right. He **would** be worrying himself sick wondering what the hell Cook was planning on doing. At least if he went with him he might be able to stop him doing anything really reckless and dangerous, he might be able to talk him out of putting Emily's life at risk for a desire to end up the hero of the hour. Cook let loose on his own, left to his own devices out there was a frightening prospect for everyone. For Emily, Naomi, even the kidnappers, never mind himself. The bastard had put him in a corner from which there was no escape.. He had no option but to go along with him – for Emily's safety.

* * *

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	29. Chapter 30

**Author's Message**

I have decided that this is to be the last chapter of Three's Company. I would like to thank everyone who has read, reviewed and generally supported the story over the last six months – I still can't believe I've been writing it that long! When I started it back in May I didn't imagine I would write more than a couple of chapters!

Your support and comments have meant a lot to me and have inspired me to keep going even when it has been a struggle to get the words out on many occasions. I hope you enjoy the dramatic ending and if you would like to leave a final review on the story as a whole I would, as ever, be more than grateful for any comments made.

* * *

As Naomi emerged from the railway station building, blinking slightly in the late afternoon sunlight that was shining right into her eyes, she looked nervously across to the spot where the others had been standing when she had last seen them. As she struggled at first to pick them out she wondered if they had all taken the fairly strong hint she had given them to bugger off and leave her to deal with this on her own. Then she saw Effy standing next to a lamppost talking to Karen and their eyes met and exchanged anxious glances even though they were some distance away from each other.

Effy's expression seemed to be one of apology, there seemed to be a kind of understated and unspoken portrayal of worry and concern in her eyes which Naomi's gut feeling told her did not relate solely to the stressful situation she was in. Naomi's stomach then did a sudden, violent somersault and her legs felt like they had turned to jelly as the reason for Effy's sorry expression became horribly clear to her. Cook and Freddie weren't with Effy and Karen any more. In fact it was worse than that. She frantically scanned the whole area around her with her piercing blue eyes only to conclude with a desperate realisation that they were nowhere to be seen. Where the fuck had they disappeared to? Or rather, where had Cook got to? Freddie wasn't the problem as far as she was concerned – he was sensible and smart.

This was her worst nightmare, the scenario from hell that she feared more than any other. If Cook was on the loose, then Emily's safety couldn't be guaranteed even if she did exactly what she was told by the kidnappers, followed their instructions to the letter and gave them the money. If Cook fancied the idea of playing the hero, of trying to rescue Emily from the men who took her away, then her life was seriously at risk.

She felt herself shaking with anger and fear at what that reckless, brainless, selfish little fucker might be doing right then which could put Emily's life in jeopardy. Why couldn't he have just stayed put with Effy and left it to her to sort out? Emily was _her_ girlfriend, after all, not his! If she had been Cook's girl then Naomi could have understood it and sympathised with his desire to fly to her rescue, however inadvisable and dangerous it may have been. But it was _she_ who was head over heels in love with Emily, not him! Why did he feel the need to butt in and try to solve other people's problems without being asked?

The sound of her phone ringing cut short her rising indignation and intensified her feelings of terror as her nervous fingers hastily took the call.

'Have you got the money?' The same expressionless voice, devoid of emotion, the same understated air of menace sent a chill through her bones all over again.

'Yes,' she said as boldly and confidently as she could, even though she could hear her voice shaking as she said it. She listened carefully as the kidnapper gave her precise instructions as to where she was to go which turned out to be Castle Park. She was told to make her way to a particular bench in the park and surreptitiously leave the bag underneath the bench, making sure that it was hidden from public view. She was then to move away from the bench, exit the park and await a further call to find out where she would find Emily.

Naomi's heart plummeted right down to her boots when she learned that she wouldn't be reunited with Emily at the same moment as she would be handing over the holdall. She had imagined it would be a kind of straight swap, like she'd seen countless times in spy movies where the two opposing sides would meet in some remote location, advance forward with their respective 'merchandise' and swap them over before going their separate ways, the swap deal having been honourably concluded. But this wasn't like in a spy movie, this wasn't following the usual pattern and she was afraid that they might not hold up their end of the deal.

'Please!' she protested tearfully, 'Why can't you bring Emily to the park so I can see she's okay when I leave the money there? Why do you want to make me wait before I see her again?'

'Look, if you do exactly as I say, I promise you will be reunited with your friend. We will have no need for her any more once you've left the money where I've told you. Now, stop arguing and start getting over to the park. Understood?'

The man was clearly in no mood for any hard bargaining on this issue and his tone, whilst not exactly changing from its previous cold, clinical calmness to one of rising anger, certainly betrayed a hint of impatience with Naomi's emotional outburst. Naomi reluctantly accepted his conditions, not being in much of a position to do otherwise, and the guy instantly rang off, leaving a miserable and still frightened and nervous Naomi to get back on her bike and start pedalling down the road, holdall securely fastened to the back of the bike.

* * *

'Come on, love,' said a voice as she was gently shaken by the shoulder and awoken from the surprisingly deep sleep into which she must have fallen. 'You're girlfriend's playing ball and she's got the money. It's time for us to take you back to her.'

Emily's heart leapt for joy at the sound of those words and she was so thrilled at the prospect of being reunited with Naomi that she didn't put up a murmur of protest as the guy grabbed her and pulled her far from gently off the bed and on to her feet. Her hands were still tied behind her back as she stood there rather unsteadily, still half asleep but desperately trying to regain her senses and alertness. A blindfold was firmly but not roughly put across her eyes and she was slowly led out of the room which had been her prison for the last few lonely, frightening hours.

A minute or two later Emily was helped into the back seat of the car and ordered to lie down on the floor which she duly did, even though there wasn't much room for her to be terribly comfortable and she could smell a strange, unrecognisable odour coming from the back of the car which almost made her puke at one point. She kept telling herself not to blow it, that she was going to be back with Naomi soon and this dreadful nightmare, which she was sure would live with her for the rest of her life, would be all over provided she did as she was told. Clearly Naomi had got hold of the money and was presumably on her way to some pre-arranged destination where they would all meet up and swap her for the money.

She felt one of the guys get in the back of the car and sit down on the seat above her while she heard the second guy – for she was sure she had been taken to this secret hideaway by only two of the men who had abducted her – get into the driver's seat and start up the engine. She was on her way back to Naomi and she couldn't help but smile, which was in itself no mean feat given the precarious situation she was still in. But she felt unbelievably happy for the first time since she had been so cruelly snatched away from the love of her life earlier that day and she was now able to count down the minutes before she would be back with her again.

She didn't even think about wasting precious energy wishing revenge, retribution and justice towards the men who had taken her, all she was focusing on was Naomi. If the men got away with the money and were never caught, well she couldn't care less right at that moment. Okay, it wasn't her money; of course, it was easy for her to say that and maybe if it was she might have felt different, she might have been desperately longing for the men who had perpetrated this outrage to be caught and properly punished. But for Emily none of that mattered one iota compared with being reunited with Naomi who, she felt sure, couldn't give two hoots about what happened to the cash.

As she lay on the floor in the back of the car, with these thoughts flying around her head making her almost dizzy and breathless, she could sense the car being driven away from their hideout and out onto some kind of road, perhaps not a main road, more perhaps like a quiet country lane, as it didn't sound like there was a lot of traffic passing them by as they were driving along.

She was straining her ears to see if she could make out any recognisable sounds as they were driving along, just in case it should prove useful after she was released to be able to give some sort of indication as to where she had been taken to. But there really wasn't anything much to give her a clue about where she was and after a while she gave up listening and just relaxed and allowed herself to daydream about meeting up with Naomi again and what they would do to celebrate their joyful reunion.

* * *

Effy and Karen had been standing around for a couple of minutes after Naomi had ridden away from the station on her bike, neither of them not knowing quite what to do. Should they stay there in case Naomi should return with Emily soon? Should they go back home and just wait for Naomi to call them to say everything was okay and that she'd got Emily back? They were in a quandary and consequently they just stood around aimlessly, shifting from one foot to the other, looking vaguely in the direction where Naomi had gone, as if they half expected her to be sending up a couple of flares or fireworks to signal a successful mission accomplished.

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Effy's phone ringing broke the awkward monotony of their painfully nervous, silent procrastination and she gratefully accepted the call, just for something to do. It was Katie and Effy steeled herself for another Katie fear-induced rant.

'What's happening, Effy? Naomi won't answer her phone. What's going on?'

'Katie, I don't know. Naomi went off on her bike somewhere after taking a call from the kidnappers. I suppose she's gone to meet up with them to give them what they want and get Emily back.'

'Dad should be with you any time soon, I warn you. He's going to go even more ballistic than me, I promise you. You'd better fill him in on what's going on.'

Effy closed her eyes and shuddered at the prospect of a seething, hyperactive Mr Fitch, beside himself with worry, doing his nut when he got there to find no Naomi, never mind no daughter, to greet him. This was not going to be pleasant, she thought.

'Okay, Katie. We'll wait for him here. But I don't know what good it will do him. We've got no idea what's going on any more than he has, unless Naomi rings us to fill us in.'

'Just fucking stay there, Effy! And call me the second you have any news on Ems, do you hear me? We're worried sick, Mum and I, you know.'

'I know you are. So are we, too. Let's just pray Naomi is able to pull it off and get Emily back. She'll do anything she has to, you know that.'

'She'd better, otherwise she's dead meat. That's a promise.' With that explicit threat of retribution against an unsuccessful Naomi left hanging in the air, Katie hung up, her mind clearly not reassured and becalmed by Effy's explanations.

No sooner had Effy put her phone back in her bag with a helpless shrug of her shoulders and a tired grimace at Karen when she heard Naomi's name being called very loudly. She looked around to try to locate the source of the calling, guessing with a sinking heart that it had to be Emily's father. She saw a tall, muscular, well-built looking guy, probably in his early forties, standing about thirty yards away from them, yelling at the top of his voice.

Effy raised her hands above her head and began waving and calling, 'Over here,' whereupon Mr Fitch ran over towards the two girls as soon as he noticed Effy's response and immediately launched into wave after wave of questions, all delivered with wild eyes and a voice which seemed on the point of breaking down with emotion.

'Naomi? Where's Emily? Have you spoken to her? Is she alright? Where is she?'

Effy put her hand up to stop this torrent of desperate questions which were of course directed at the wrong person.

'I'm Effy, not Naomi, Mr Fitch. Naomi's already gone to meet the kidnappers.'

'Where?' Rob Fitch asked, looking feverishly around, as if he ludicrously expected them to be having a conversation with Naomi just around the corner.

'We don't know, she didn't say. You just got on her bike and rode off. You've only just missed her'

'Which direction did she go in?' he shouted, and upon Effy pointing vaguely down the road where Naomi had cycled off into, he sprinted away from them. Effy and Karen watched him run a good forty yards over to his car, get in it and drive furiously out into the busy traffic. He did an impressive u-turn, scarcely bothering to look to see if any other cars were coming and finally flew past them again and was off and away down the road that Naomi had cycled down five minutes or so previously.

As a grand gesture of utter spontaneity, futility and fearlessness it was extremely impressive. Yet Effy's heart sunk as she watched him go into understandable super Dad mode. He had sprung into action so quickly, without a word of warning, that she had been unable to do or say anything to stop him. He was now in hot pursuit of an out of sight Naomi, without a clue as to where she might have gone after leaving the station. If he found her it could be only by a complete stroke of luck and good fortune and then what did he hope to achieve? It could only be bad news for Naomi and Emily if he were to catch up with her.

* * *

Naomi gradually slowed down and came to a halt, dismounted her bike and pushed it the remaining few yards to the bench. She leaned the bike against the side of the seat and went round to sit down, carrying the holdall in her right hand. She gazed around a full circle, noting that there were only a small handful of people in this particular part of the park at this time of day and they were all some distance away and wouldn't easily be able to see what she was doing.

She put the holdall down on the ground and pushed it firmly but nonetheless as nonchalantly and distractedly as possible underneath the bench between her legs so that it was right out of sight of any passer by who might casually glance over towards the seat for whatever reason. Then, despite having been instructed to get out of the park as soon as she had left the holdall under the bench, Naomi couldn't help looking around the park one final time. She was hoping against hope that Emily would be waiting in the wings somewhere close by, ready to run forward, screaming for joy at the top of her voice, as the kidnappers gave her the nod to be reunited with her girlfriend.

But she knew it was a forlorn hope. There was no way on earth they would release her back to Naomi until they had got their hands on the money. There was nothing to be gained in her hanging around a minute longer so reluctantly she got up and remounted her bike, heading back the way she came. A few minutes later she was back out in the street again, having left the park and was waiting impatiently, nervously, desperately for a call from the kidnapper.

* * *

'What the fuck are we doing, Cook?' Freddie's simple question cut through the silence like a knife through butter. They had been sitting in Effy's car for about five minutes without moving and scarcely without uttering a single word.

'Waiting, Freds. Waiting,' replied Cook mysteriously, still looking straight ahead of him, never having taken his eyes off the black car parked some thirty yards ahead of them since the moment they got into Effy's car.

'For what?' persisted Freddie, anxious to know what insane plan Cook had in mind so he could begin to think of a way to talk him out of it.

'For the guys in that black car over there to drive off, which, if I'm right, they should do as soon as Naomi gets instructions on where to go with the money.'

'And what do you plan to do about it?' Freddie asked, dreading to hear Cook's answer.

'Just follow them, that's all. They'll be following Naomi to make sure she does as she's told. I think they've been shadowing her every move all day, Freds. They're the eyes and ears for the rest of the gang. They phone in to report what Naomi's doing, if she's carrying out their instructions or not. If we follow them, they'll lead us to Emily and the money, I'm sure of it.'

Freddie let out a huge sigh of despair. 'Even if you're right, which you can't be sure of, so what? We can't interfere with what Naomi's got to do, not if we want to see Emily alive and well again!'

'We're not going to do anything until Naomi's got Emily back. But once she's back with us, the gloves are off, Freddie, my old son. Then they have no more cards up their sleeve and if we know where they are then we have a chance to get the money back off them.'

'HOW?' cried Freddie in disbelief. Cook was increasingly talking like he thought he was Roy Rogers or the Lone Ranger! When would this guy get real? This is the fucking twenty-first century, for fuck's sake.

'Hang on, we're on the move,' said Cook with a note of triumph in his voice. He turned on the ignition and slowly moved the car forward into the road, as both boys saw the black Rover move out into the traffic ahead of them. They slowly gave chase, keeping a measured distance between them and the kidnappers and waited to see where fate was about to take them.

* * *

Naomi's mobile rang and she took the call instantly. It was the kidnapper and he wasted no time in getting straight to the point.

'Your girlfriend is in the boot of a blue Peugeot on the corner of the park about a hundred yards up the road from you. She's perfectly safe. The boot isn't locked. It's been nice doing business with you. Goodbye.'

Naomi had started running at breakneck speed up the road even before he had finished speaking to her. She didn't care who got in her way; no-one was going to stop her from getting to her beloved Emily a minute later than was humanly possible. She covered the hundred yards in what might have been Olympic record time, had anyone been keeping time. She saw the car as soon as she reached the corner and tore over to it, screaming 'Emily!' several times at the top of her voice. She went straight round to the boot from which she could hear the unmistakeable sound of muffled cries and opened it. She saw Emily lying in the boot, hands tied behind her back, legs bound together and with a gag in her mouth, her big brown eyes staring up at Naomi, as tears of joy and relief poured down the cheeks of both girls.

She reached in and firstly took the gag out of her mouth, then wrapped her arms around her, smothering her with kisses which Emily returned in kind, ignoring the fact that her arms were still bound behind her back. They were both crying buckets, completely oblivious to the amazed interest shown by a few passers by who had stopped to observe this most extraordinary spectacle.

Eventually when she realised that she could hold and smother Emily with even more passion if she was untied, Naomi undid the thin string that the kidnappers had used to immobilise her arms and legs and helped her gently out of the car. As soon as Emily's feet had hit the ground they collapsed into each other's arms again, only this time Emily was able to respond properly, flinging her arms around Naomi's neck and hanging on to her for dear life as they tearfully celebrated their longed for reunion in the only way they knew how, not caring who saw them.

Both girls were smiling hugely at each other through a veil of tears and were shaking violently, not from the cold but from the sheer indescribable relief of seeing each other again. It had seemed like a lifetime since they were last together and they held on to one another so tightly you'd have thought they must have been crushing the very last breath out of each other, so reluctant were both girls to let go for fear that someone else might snatch either of them away once more.

'Oh my God, Ems,' cried Naomi, tears still running down her cheeks, 'I thought I'd never see you again! I can't believe I've got you back. Are you alright? Did they hurt you at all?'

'I'm fine, Naomi, honestly. They were okay. I'm not really hurt, just a bit shaken after they dumped me in the boot. That wasn't nice.'

They fell back into each other's arms and didn't really take too much notice as a black car sped past them at a ferocious lick along the road, followed after a short while by another car which kind of looked rather familiar to Naomi as she briefly watched it fly past over Emily's shoulder. Then in an instant the penny dropped.

'SHIT! That's Effy's car that's just gone past! I'm sure there were two people in it. Oh my God, I think that was Cook and Freddie!'

She looked open-mouthed at Emily who looked blankly back at her, blissfully unaware of the involvement of Cook and his best mate in this drama, but she was immediately concerned by the blonde girl's anxious expression. Naomi stepped out into the road and looked up it in the direction that the cars had gone but they had obviously already disappeared from view. She had just given up looking any further and turned her attentions back to Emily when they both heard an almighty bang in the distance, which one might have been afraid was the noise of a bomb going off. Huge clouds of black smoke began to fill the sky and the two girls looked at each other in horror and without needing to say a word they both started to run up the road towards where the smoke and the huge sound of the explosion had seemed to come from.

Within a couple of minutes they had reached the scene and what faced them was the terrifying sight of a typical road traffic accident that had just taken place. Only on this occasion the two cars involved weren't both unknown to them. One of them was horribly familiar. Effy's car had turned over on its side and was in flames, smoke billowing out into the evening air. The other car, a black Rover was similarly on its side, burning away with equal terrifying intensity as one or two people who had run over to the scene they had just witnessed were frantically trying to see if there was anyone alive in either of the cars who they might try to pull out to safety.

The two girls watched, frozen in terror, as one guy managed to get to the only door of Effy's car that was accessible and gave a shout as he had obviously located someone and was desperately trying to get hold of him and drag him out of the burning wreckage. Another man came rushing to assist him and between them they succeeded in pulling the guy free from the burning flames of the smashed up car and eventually the girls saw the men drag the survivor clear of the car and carry him away from the danger area and onto the pavement on the other side of the road.

'Is he alive?' the girls both screamed as they came rushing over to join the two rescuers, both of whom nodded. 'Just about. But the other guy in the car's a gonna, I'm afraid. We couldn't do anything for him.'

Emily and Naomi looked down at the still barely conscious survivor and immediately recognised a familiar face and both instantly burst into uncontrollable floods of tears, as they understood the implication of what the man had said. Only one of their closest friends had survived this shocking accident. The other one, sadly, would never see them or speak to them again. In five minutes their world had been transformed from one of complete joy and relief to one of terrifying sadness and despair. The two girls had been reunited yet had also lost a dear friend who had met with death in a vain and ultimately inglorious attempt to help them.

Both Emily and Naomi realised that at the end of this extraordinary, yet ultimately tragic day, their lives would never be the same again. Both would inevitably carry the scars of this episode for years to come and would need to lean heavily on each other to get through the pain of this terrible memory.

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